AISI 1020 steel is widely applied as the primary material for construction and piping systems on ships. This research was conducted to investigate the effect of electroplating Cu-Mn current density on the corrosion rate of AISI 1020 steel in a 3% NaCl corrosive medium. Corrosion rate testing was carried out using the weight loss method with the immersion of samples in a corrosive NaCl medium for 168 h and variations in current densities of 35, 45, 55, 65, and 75 mA/cm2. The results showed that the higher current density applied to the lower corrosion rate. This is because an increase in electroplating current density will also increase Cu and Mn ions deposited in steel, where deposits of these ions will improve the corrosion resistance of steel. The lowest corrosion rate was obtained at 0,053 mm/y at a current density of 75 mA/cm2. XRD characterization results showed that peaks formed at current densities of 35 mA/cm2 are almost the same as the results of steel characterization after electroplating current density of 75 mA/cm2 a lower intensity. The metallurgical microscope analysis results showed that the formed layer is thicker with increasing electroplating current density.
