Improvement of the Galvanized Coating Quality of High Strength Dual Phase Steels by Pre‐Electroplating Nickel Layer

Abstract

Abstract Galvanized dual phase steel sheets are used extensively in the industrial applications because of their excellent mechanical properties and superior corrosion resistance, but the segregation of alloying elements and the formation of oxides on the steel surface often have a deleterious effect on coating adhesion during the galvanizing process. In order to improve the coating quality, a nickel layer was pre‐electroplated on the steel substrate before galvanizing and it's found that there is an improvement in the coating quality. The coating microstructures were investigated by scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscope, glow discharge optical emission spectroscope and X‐ray diffractions. The experimental results show that the compact Ni 3 Zn 22 intermetallic layer formed at the zinc/nickel interface during the galvanizing process, prohibiting the nucleation and the growth of the ζ‐Zn phase layer and resulting in the improvement of the zinc coating adhesion.