Table 1 gives values of the corrosion rate for the different
systems. The results are based on weight-loss measurements
over two different periods, namely, 20 and 100 h. In all the
electrolytes under study, the corrosion rates over 20 h are
greater than those over 100 h. In fact, the true corrosion rates
are obtained only from long-term rather than from short-term
tests. This is confirmed by the data reported here. Moreover,
it appears that the presence of mercury reduces the corrosion
rate of zinc by at least one order of magnitude in all the media
investigated (Table 1). On increasing the mercury content,
the corrosion rates decrease in all the electrolytes. It is also
found that the other zinc-containing alloys exhibit a lowering
of the corrosion rate in all the electrolytes.