Cathodic protection is an electrochemical method used to control the corrosion of a metal surface, in which the metal is made the cathode of an electrochemical cell.
Since corrosion is an oxidation reaction (a metal losing electrons), cathodic protection prevents it by suppressing the anodic reaction entirely. The process is primarily achieved through two methods: sacrificial anode systems and impressed current systems (ICCP).
Cathodic protection is vital for the longevity of infrastructure exposed to electrolytes, such as seawater or soil.