• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2024

In recent years, Zn-Al-Mg alloy galvanized steel sheets have been widely used as coated steel sheets to support social capital in the infrastructure field. A feature of Zn-Al-Mg alloy-coated steel sheets is that they provide a better corrosion protection period than Zn-coated steel sheets. In this study, the corrosion resistance of a new Zn-Al-Mg alloy-coated steel sheet was investigated and compared to that of conventional commercially available coated steel sheets. The investigation confirmed that increasing the Mg concentration in the Zn-Al-Mg-coated steel sheet improved corrosion resistance, which was more than 10 times that of the galvanized steel sheet specified in JIS G 3302. The study findings also confirmed that the corrosion resistance reached more than twice that of the coated steel sheet specified in JIS G 3323. If such galvanized steel sheets are applied to social infrastructures that are exposed to severely corrosive environments, the service life of the infrastructure might be extended.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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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.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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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.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2024

Hot-dip Zn-Mg-Al coatings have a complex microstructure consisting of Zn, Al, and MgZn₂ phases. Its crystal structure depends on alloy content and cooling rates. Microstructure and corrosion resistance of these coatings might be affected by heat treatment. To investigate effect of heat treatment on microstructure and corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg-Al coatings, Zn-1.5%Mg-1.5%Al coated steel was heated up to 550 ℃ at a heating rate of 80 ℃/s and cooled down to room temperature. At above 500 ℃, the ternary phase of Zn-MgZn₂-Al was melted down. Only Zn and MgZn₂ phases remained in the coating. Heat- and non-heat-treated specimens showed similar corrosion resistance in Salt Spray Test (SST). When a Zn-3.0%Mg-2.5%Al coated steel was subjected to heat treatment at 100 ℃ or 300 ℃ for 200 h and compared with GA and GI coated steels, the microstructure of coatings was not significantly changed at 100 ℃. However, at 300 ℃, most Al in the coating reacted with Fe in the substrate, forming a Fe-Al compound layer in the lower part of the coating. MgZn₂ was preferentially formed in the upper part of the coating. As a result of SST, Zn-Mg-Al coated steels showed excellent corrosion resistance, better than GA and GI.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.289-295
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• 2024

Zn-Mg-Al alloy hot-dip galvanized steel sheet has high corrosion resistance. Compared to conventional Zn coating with the same coating thickness, the high corrosion resistance Zn-Mg-Al coating is more corrosion-resistant. Various coating compositions are commercially produced and applied in diverse fields. However, these steel sheets typically contain up to 3 wt% magnesium. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for higher corrosion resistance in harsh corrosive environments. Therefore, variations in Mg and Al contents were investigated while evaluating primary properties and performance. As a result, we developed new alloy-coated steel with ultra-high corrosion resistance. A Zn-5 wt%Mg-Al coated steel sheet was evaluated for its corrosion resistance and various properties. As the amount of Mg added increased, the corrosion loss tended to decrease. The corrosion resistance of the coated steel sheet in a particular composition, the Zn-5 wt%Mg-Al coating sheet, was about 1.5 to 2 times higher than that of the conventional Zn-3 wt%Mg-Al coating sheet. Ultimately, this ultra-high corrosion-resistance coated steel sheet will provide a robust solution to conserve Zn resources and contribute to a low-carbon society.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.12
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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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• v.21 no.3
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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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• v.9 no.6
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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.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.1
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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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• v.9 no.2
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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.