• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.113-120
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• 2024

An attempt was made to apply digital image correlation (DIC) strain analysis to in-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations of bending deformation to quantify local strain distribution inside a ZnMgAl-alloy coating in deformation. Interstitial-free steel sheets were hot-dipped in a Zn-3Mg-6Al (mass%) alloy melt at 400 ℃ for 2 s. The specimens were deformed using a miniature-sized 4-point bending test machine inside the SEM chamber. The observed in situ SEM images were used for DIC strain analysis. The hot-dip ZnMgAl-alloy coating exhibited a solidification microstructure composed of a three-phase eutectic of fine Al (fcc), Zn (hcp), and Zn2Mg phases surrounding the primary solidified Al phases. The relatively coarsened Zn₂Mg phases were locally observed inside the ZnMgAl-alloy coating. The DIC strain analysis revealed that the strain was localized in the primary solidified Al phases and fine eutectic microstructure around the Zn₂Mg phase. The results indicated high deformability of the multi-phase microstructure of the ZnMgAl-alloy coating.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제31권12호
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• pp.704-709
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• 2021

In the flux used in the batch galvanizing process, the effect of the component ratio of NH₄Cl to ZnCl₂ on the microstructure, coating adhesion, and corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg-Al ternary alloy-coated steel is evaluated. Many defects such as cracks and bare spots are formed inside the Zn-Mg-Al coating layer during treatment with the flux composition generally used for Zn coating. Deterioration of the coating property is due to the formation of AlCl_x mixture generated by the reaction of Al element and chloride in the flux. The coatability of the Zn-Mg-Al alloy coating is improved by increasing the content of ZnCl₂ in the flux to reduce the amount of chlorine reacting with Al while maintaining the flux effect and the coating adhesion is improved as the component ratio of NH₄Cl to ZnCl₂ decreases. Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel products treated with the optimized flux composition of NH₄Cl·3ZnCl₂ show superior corrosion resistance compared to Zn-coated steel products, even with a coating weight of 60 %.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.221-229
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• 2022

To understand effects of cooling rates of coating layer on microstructures and corrosion behaviors of hot-dip alloy coated steel sheets (Zn-5%Al-2%Mg) in a neutral aqueous condition with chloride ion, a range of experimental and analytical methods were used in this study. Results showed that a faster cooling rate during solidification decreased the fraction of primary Zn, and increased the fraction of Zn-Al phase. In addition, interlamellar spacing became refined under a faster cooling rate. These modifications of the coating structure had higher open circuit potentials (OCP) with smaller anodic and cathodic current densities in the electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization. Surface analyses after a salt spray test showed that the increase in the Zn-Al phase in the coating formed under a faster cooling rate might have contributed to the formation of simonkolleite (Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·H₂O) and hydrotalcite (ZnAl₂(OH)₆Cl₂·H₂O) with a protective nature on the corroded outer surface, thus delaying the formation of red rust.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.387-392
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• 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate corrosion resistance of Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel in residential water with trace quantities of Cl^-. Comparative evaluations were performed using two commercial coated steel products, GI and Galvalume, as reference samples. Examination of corrosion morphology and measurement of weight loss revealed that the Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel exhibited higher corrosion resistance than reference samples. This finding suggests that the alloy coated steel possesses long-term corrosion resistance not only in highly Cl^- concentrated environments such as seawater, but also in environments with extremely low levels of Cl^- found in residential water. The primary factor contributing to the superior corrosion resistance of the Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel in residential water is the formation of an inhibiting corrosion product composed primarily of two phases: Zn₅(OH)₆(CO₃)₂ and Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·H₂O. The preferential dissolution of Mg from the corroded coating layer can increase alkalinity, which might enhance the thermodynamical stability of Zn₅(OH)₆(CO₃)₂.

• 열처리공학회지
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.198-205
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• 2023

We investigated the effects of Al and Mg on the microstructure and hardness of the coating layer of galvanized steel sheets, by thermodynamic calculations, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Vickers hardness tests of Zn-0.2Al, Zn-6Al-2Mg, and Zn-10Al-5Mg coating layers. Regardless of the alloy composition of the galvanizing bath, a Fe-Al layer was observed between the coating layer and steel sheet. The Zn-0.2Al coating layer consists of major h.c.p. Zn phase and minor f.c.c. Al phase. The fraction of f.c.c. Al phase (containing a significant amount of Zn) of the coating layer increases with increasing the chemical composition of Al of the galvanizing bath. The h.c.p. MgZn₂ phase was formed in the Al/Mg-containing Zn-6Al-2Mg and Zn-10Al-5Mg coating layers, forming Zn-Al-MgZn₂ eutectic microstructure. The primary MgZn₂ phase was additionally formed in the Zn-10Al-5Mg coating layers containing high concentrations of Al and Mg. The Vickers hardness values of Zn-0.2Al, Zn-6Al-2Mg, and Zn-10Al-5Mg coating layers were 59.1 ± 1.2 HV, 161.2 ± 5.7 HV, and 215.5 ± 40.3 HV, respectively. The addition of Al and Mg increased the hardness of the coating layer by increasing the fraction of the Al phase (containing Zn) and MgZn₂ intermetallic compound, which were harder than the Zn phase.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.233-238
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• 2010

Hot-dipped Al-Mg-Si coatings to alternate Zn and Zn alloy coatings for steel were examined on metallographic structure, corrosion resistance, sacrificial ability, formation and growth of inter-metallic compounds, and mechanical properties. Near the eutectic composition of quasi-binary system of Al-$Mg_2Si$, very fine eutectic structure of ${\alpha}$-Al and $Mg_2Si$ was obtained and it showed excellent corrosion resistivity and sacrificial ability for a steel in sodium chloride solutions. Formation and growth of Al-Fe inter-metallic compounds at the interface of substrate steel and coated layer was suppressed by addition of Si. The inter-metallic compounds layer was usually brittle, however, the coating layer did not peel off as long as the thickness of the inter-metallic compounds layer was small enough. During sacrificial protection of a steel, amount of hydrogen into the steel was more than ten times smaller than that of Zn coated steel, suggesting to prevent hydrogen embrittlement. Al-Mg-Si coating is expected to apply for several kinds of high strength steels.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.123-130
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• 2023

This study aimed to evaluate corrosion resistance of steel coated with GI and Zn-Al-Mg alloy using cyclic corrosion test (CCT) with electrochemical polarization and impedance measurements. Results showed that the Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel had a much higher corrosion rate than GI coated steel in early stages of corrosion. With prolonged immersion, however, the corrosion rate of the Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel greatly decreased, mainly owing to a significant decrease in the cathodic reduction reaction and an increase in polarization resistance at the surface. This was closely associated with the formation of protective corrosion products including Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·H₂O and Zn₆Al₂(OH)₁₆CO₃. Moreover, when the steel substrate was locally exposed due to mechanical damage, the kinetics of anodic dissolution from the coating layer and the formation of protective corrosion products on the surface of the Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel became much faster compared to the case of GI coated steel. This could provide a longer-lasting corrosion inhibition function for Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel used in plant farms.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.69-76
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• 2023

The effects of hairline treatment on surface blackening and thermal diffusion behaviors of Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel sheet were evaluated by the three-dimensional surface profiler and laser-flash technique. The metallographic observation of coating damages by hairline treatments showed that several cracks were initiated and propagated along the interface between primary Zn/eutectic phases. As the hairline processing became more severe, the crack occurrence frequency in eutectic phase of coating layer and the surface roughness increased, which had a proportional relationship with the level of blackening on the coating surface. In addition, the higher interfacial areas of the blackened coating surface, caused by the hairline process, led to an increase in thermal diffusivity and conductivity of the coated steel sheet. On the other hand, when the coating damage by hairline treatment was excessive and the steel substrate was exposed, there was little difference between the thermal diffusivity/conductivity of the untreated sample though the blackening degree was higher than that of untreated sample. This work suggests that the increase in the surface areas of the coating layer without exposure to steel substrate through hairline treatment can be one of the effective technical strategies for the development of Zn-Al-Mg alloy coated steel sheets with higher blackening level and thermal diffusivity.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.104-112
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• 2024

Al-Zn-Mg-Si alloy coatings have been developed to inhibit corrosion of cold rolled steel sheets, and an understanding of the alloy system helps prevent coating defects. We used a Bridgman furnace to characterise the nature and formation mechanisms of the phases present in the quaternary system with 0.4 wt% Fe. In the directional solidification experiments we imposed steep temperature gradients and varied the pull rate. After the samples were quenched in the furnace, detailed characterization of the samples was carried out by electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). From the dT/dt vs T plots of the cooling curves of the alloys, the solidification path was determined to be $Liquid{\longrightarrow[80]^{544-558}}{\alpha}-Al{\longrightarrow[80]^{453-459}}Al/Mg_2Si{\longrightarrow[80]^{371-374}}Al/Zn{\longrightarrow[80]^{331-333}}Zn/mgZn_2$. The formation mechanisms of the Mg and Zn containing phases and their morphology was discussed together with the effects of the cooling rate. Key findings include the lengthening of the mushy zone in directionally solidified samples remelted against a positive temperature gradient, as well as an enrichening of the α-Al phase by Zn through remelting. Mg₂Si and other Si based phases were observed to adopt a much finer faceted microstructure in favour of a script-like microstructure when exposed to the higher cooling rate of coolant quenching.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.74-80
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• 2010

For the purpose of applying a hot-dip Zn-6mass%Al-3mass%Mg alloy coated steel sheet (ZAM) to automotive body materials, a laboratory study of the general properties required for inner and outer panels of automotive bodies was performed. Even with only light coating weight, ZAM showed an excellent corrosion resistance in terms of both cosmetic and perforation corrosion compared to the currently used materials for automotive bodies, GI70 and GA45. In our study, it was confirmed that ZAM exhibits as good as or better properties than GI70 in terms of spot weldability and press formability. Furthermore, since the same corrosion resistance can be achieved with less coating weight by applying ZAM, laser weldability is better than GI and GA.