Recent development of UHSS and its hot-dip galvanizing processes in Baosteel

Baosteel has excelled in automotive steel sheets in the past three decades.It has made a significant contribution to the development of China’s automotive industry by producing a wide range of high-quality steel products.Some milestones achieved by Baosteel automotive steel sheet were briefly reviewed.The current challenges in producing ultra-high strength steel(UHSS),especially hot-dip galvanized UHSS,were summarized.The most current advancements in UHSS and the corresponding hot-dip galvanizing processes were discussed.The galvanizability of Si-Mn-added QP steel and DP steel, Mn-added TWIP steel, and Al-added low-density steel has been improved by different techniques in Baosteel.

Effect of hot-dip galvanizing processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 600-MPa hot-dip galvanized dual-phase steel

A C–Mn dual-phase steel was soaked at 800°C for 90 s and then either rapidly cooled to 450°C and held for 30 s(process A) or rapidly cooled to 350°C and then reheated to 450°C(process B) to simulate the hot-dip galvanizing process. The influence of the hot-dip galvanizing process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 600-MPa hot-dip galvanized dual-phase steel(DP600) was investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and tensile tests. The results showed that, in the case of process A, the microstructure of DP600 was composed of ferrite, martensite, and a small amount of bainite. The granular bainite was formed in the hot-dip galvanizing stage, and martensite islands were formed in the final cooling stage after hot-dip galvanizing. By contrast, in the case of process B, the microstructure of the DP600 was composed of ferrite, martensite, bainite, and cementite. In addition, compared with the yield strength(YS) of the DP600 annealed by process A, that for the DP600 annealed by process B increased by approximately 50 MPa because of the tempering of the martensite formed during rapid cooling. The work-hardening coefficient(n value) of the DP600 steel annealed by process B clearly decreased because the increase of the YS affected the computation result for the n value. However, the ultimate tensile strength(UTS) and elongation(A80) of the DP600 annealed by process B exhibited less variation compared with those of the DP600 annealed by process A. Therefore, DP600 with excellent comprehensive mechanical properties(YS = 362 MPa, UTS = 638 MPa, A_(80) = 24.3%, n = 0.17) was obtained via process A.

The Influence of Al on the Surface Properties of the Hot-dip Galvanized Melt

Wettability of Zn-Al alloy melt on the pure iron substrate at 450℃was studied.The effect of Al content(Zn,Zn-1Al,Zn-2Al,Zn-3Al,Zn-4Al,and Zn-5Al)on the wetting behavior and interfacial reaction was investigated by high-temperature contact angle measuring device and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The results show that,with the increase of Al content,the initial contact angle of the molten alloy on the substrate decreases gradually and the wettability increases gradually.Compared with the initial contact angle,the final contact angle is slightly reduced,because the Fe-Al inhibition layer is preferentially formed at the interface when adding Al to the alloy.The presence of Al will promote the occurrence of the reactive wetting,leading to an insignificant wetting spreading process,and the final contact angle negligibly differs from the initial contact angle.The adhesion work and charge density distributions of interface systems were calculated based on the first-principles.The results show that the adhesion work of the Fe/Zn and Fe/(Zn-Al)interface model is 2.0171 J/m^(2)and 13.7944 J/m^(2),respectively.The addition of Al greatly increases the adhesion work between alloy melt and iron substrate.Compared with the Zn-Fe and Al-Fe interface models,it can be seen that a significant charge migration phenomenon occurs between the interfaces.The amount of charge migration in the Al-Fe interface model is much larger than that in the Zn-Fe interface model,indicating that the bonding between Al-Fe atoms can occur more easily and the interaction between Al-Fe interfaces is stronger.This is also the reason why the addition of Al increases the adhesion work between interfaces.

Preparation and hot-dip galvanizing application of CeO_2/Zn nanocomposite

CeO2/Zn nanocomposite was fabricated by high-energy ball milling and subsequent hot-press sintering under vacuum. The produced nanocomposite powders and bulks were characterized using X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrum （EDS）. The as-fabricated nanocomposite bulks were added successfully into the hot-dip galvanizing bath to improve the corrosion resistance of coatings. The results show that after milling for 120min, nano-sized CeO2 particles are distributed homogeneously on the surface of fine Zn particles to form spherical-like nanocomposite powder with narrow grain size distribution. The subsequent sintering does not lead to a dramatic grain growth, and the distribution of CeO2 nanoparticles in the composite bulk is also homogeneous. With the addition of as-prepared bulks, the corrosion resistance of the galvanized coatings is improved obviously. It provides a feasible route for adding CeO2 nanoparticles into the hot-dip galvanized coating.

Hot-Dip Coating of Lead-free Aluminum on Steel Substrates with Ultrasonic Vibration

Hot-dip coating has been practically employed in manufacturing zinc alloy coated steel sheets.However,it is difficult to coat aluminum alloy on a bulky steel substrate without sufficient preheating,because a rapidly solidified layer containing gas babbles is formed on a substrate surface.A variety of iron-aluminides are also formed at the interface of a steel and aluminum hot-dip coating system,which is the main difficulty in joining of steel with aluminum.Ultrasonic vibration was applied to a steel substrate during hot-dip coating of aluminum alloy to control a rapidly solidified layer and a brittle reaction layer.Hot dipping of columnar steel substrates into molten aluminum alloy （Al-2.7 mass fraction Si-4.6 mass fraction Sn） was carried out through the use of a Langevin oscillator with resonant frequency of 19.5 kHz.The application of ultrasonic vibration is quite effective to control a rapidly solidified layer and a surface oxide layer from a substrate surface by the sonocapillary effect based on a cavitation phenomenon,so that the intimate contact is achieved at the beginning of hot-dip coating.The application of ultrasonic vibration to hot-dipping is effective to control a reaction layer with less than 5 #m in thickness.An impact test exhibits that the good adhesive strength is approved in hot-dipped aluminum coatings with a thin reaction layer of approximately 5μm.

Analysis of Coating Microstructure of Hot-Dip Aluminum of Deformed Low-Carbon Steel Containing Rare Earth

The coating microstructure of hot-dip aluminum (HDA) of deformed low-carbon steel containing RE was analyzed by metallography microscopy, TEM and XRD, and the forming mechanism was also discussed. The results show that, the Fe_2Al_5 phase, on whose subcrystal boundaries, Al particles with the size of 7～30 μm existing on parallel linear are, grows a strong orientation. And the spread activation energy of Al is 155.22 kJ·mol -1. In addition, the effects of deformation on coating microstructure of hot-dip aluminum and the function of RE were preliminarily analyzed.

Hot-Dip Galvanized Sheet Production and Application

Hot-dip galvanized sheet is wildly used in construction,household appliances,ship,vehicle and vessel building and machinery,etc.In last ten years,with the development of automobile industry,the anti-eorrosion requirements for car body are increasingly strict,by which the rapid development in technology has been promoted.The application of hot-dip galvanized sheet,technological progress in production and some Chinese large units were introduced.

Analysis of causes and influence factors of small black spot defects in hot-dip galvanized pure Zn products

In this study,the factors affecting the formation of small black spot defects on the surface of a hot-dip galvanized pure zinc strip are analyzed. These defects are primarily formed w hen the iron-aluminum inhibition layer is incompletely formed or fails to form or when foreign matter adheres to the surface or embeds in the zinc layer.The defects can be reduced by controlling the cleanliness and activity of the strip base before coating,regulating the zinc pot process parameters,and ensuring the cleanliness of the passline and workshop.

Formation of microstructural features in hot-dip aluminized AISI 321 stainless steel

Hot-dip aluminizing（HDA） is a proven surface coating technique for improving the oxidation and corrosion resistance of ferrous substrates. Although extensive studies on the HDA of plain carbon steels have been reported, studies on the HDA of stainless steels are limited. Because of the technological importance of stainless steels in high-temperature applications, studies of their microstructural development during HDA are needed. In the present investigation, the HDA of AISI 321 stainless steel was carried out in a pure Al bath. The microstructural features of the coating were studied using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. These studies revealed that the coating consists of two regions： an Al top coat and an aluminide layer at the interface between the steel and Al. The Al top coat was found to consist of intermetallic phases such as Al_7Cr and Al_3Fe dispersed in an Al matrix. Twinning was observed in both the Al_7Cr and the Al_3Fe phases. Furthermore, the aluminide layer comprised a mixture of nanocrystalline Fe_2Al_5, Al_7Cr, and Al. Details of the microstructural features are presented, and their formation mechanisms are discussed.

Evolution of appearance profile of hot-dip galvanized car-body steel sheet during deformation process

In recent years, the waterborne free intermediate coating process has been widely used in the automotive industry. Because the baking times and coating thickness are decreased, the surface covering capability of the painting process is reduced, which directly affects the appearance quality（ long-and short-wave values） of the body paint. Thus, there are correspondingly higher requirements for the white body surface profile prior to painting. The surface profile of the white body is mainly affected by the plate material, the surface profile, and the deformation process. So,the change rule for the surface profile during deformation of the steel plate is a key factor in coating appearance optimization. In this paper, we first analyze the typical deformation of the outer cover of a car body. Then ,we examine the change tendency of the surface profile of steel plates with respect to different deformation rates, specifically for a steel plate comprising a hot-dip galvanized bake-hardened steel sheet. Based on our analysis of the influence of the deformation on the coating appearance,we selected 3% ,5% ,and 8% deformation rates in this research. We found the roughness （Ra） value in the typical deformation range （3% -8% ） of the car body to exhibit a decreasing trend at first and then an increasing trend. The Ra value of the 8% deformation is not more than the original plate test value. When the Pc value of the original plate is in the lower range （ about 60）, it exhibits a slight increasing trend in the deformation process （3 % -8 % ）. And when the Pc value of the original plate is in the higher range （ about 120 ）, it exhibits no increasing trend in the deformation process （ 3% -8% ）. In contrast,the waviness （WCA） value in the car body＇s typical deformation range （3%-8%） shows a significant growth trend.

Development of Cr-free anti-fingerprint hot-dip galvanized sheet for household appliances

China has become the maximum household appliances manufacturing base worldwide.It is a new challenge facing the steel industry to develop the low-cost and environment-friendly sheet for household appliance industry,so Cr-free anti-fingerprint hot-dip galvanized sheet for household appliances is the upgraded product which satisfies the requirement of China household appliance industry' s nuisanceless treatment.The paper discusses the technical key points of development on Cr-free anti-fingerprint galvanized sheet for household appliances,including the development of the Cr-free anti-fingerprint chemical and the production technology of Cr-free anti-fingerprint galvanized sheet for household appliances.The paper elaborates the main compositions,physical features and properties of the Cr-free anti-fingerprint chemical, surface quality control technology,anti-fingerprint coating quality control technology,influence of anti-fingerprint film weight on corrosion resistance,conductibility,high-temperature discolouration resistance,acid resistance,alkaline resistance and solvent resistance of Cr-free anti-fingerprint hot-dip galvanized sheet, influence of anti-fingerprint coating uniformity on paintability of the sheet,influence of strip surface roughness on corrosion resistance and conductivity of the sheet and influence of strip surface quality on corrosion resistance of the sheet.Adopting the suitable Cr-free anti-fingerprint chemical and the reasonable production process parameters,the properties of the Cr-free anti-fingerprint hot-dip galvanized sheet conform to the delivery technical norms and the Cr-free anti-fingerprint hot-dip galvanized sheet becomes the new material for household appliances such as computer case.

Application of WC cermet sprayed composite coating in hot-dip galvanizing lines

With the rapid development of the automobile industry, the use of galvannealed and galvanized steel sheets in automobiles is on the rise. These sheets must meet very high surface quality requirements. The surface treatment of line rolls is known to have a great impact on strip quality. To prevent dusts such as zinc ash from pressing into the strip surface, we used a composite thermal spray surface treatment technique to treat rolls. The successfully developed tungsten carbide （WC） ＋ Ni-P composite plating technology improved the quality of the tungsten carbide thermally sprayed WC roll surface. This technique is also helpful to control defects such as adhered foreign materials in hot-dip galvanized automobile outer panel surfaces.

UV-LED Curing Cationic Passivation Film for the Surface of Hot-Dip Aluminum-Zinc Coated Steel Plate

The surface treatment technology of hot aluminum-zinc steel plate and UV curing technology may be effectively combined in the present research. According to different light curing mechanisms, different formulations from UV curing surface treatment agents can be applied to the surface treatment of hot aluminum-zinc steel plate, mainly including 3-ethyl-3-benzoxy-methyl oxacyclobutane (TCM 104) and 3,4-epoxy-cyclohexylformic acid -3',4'-epoxy-cyclohexyl methyl ester (UVR 6110) as active diluents, high molecular weight polyfunctional oxacyclobutane as oligomer, triaryl sulfonium salt as a cationic photoinitiator, and an anthracene compound as a sensitizer. 385 nm LED lamp used as a radiation resource, the effects of the proportion of active diluent, the type and amount of photoinitiator, the amount of sensitizer, the curing temperature, and the amount of nano-SiO2 on the photocuring rate were investigated by photoper-scanning differential calorimetry (Photo-DSC). The experimental results show that the system has the fastest photocuring rate under the conditions of 8:2 ratio of TCM 104 to UVR 6110, 2.5% photoinitiator, 0.6% sensitizer, 0.2% nano-SiO2 additive, and 80˚C curing temperature. Based on addition of the appropriate number of various additives, the cationic photocuring surface treatment solution was prepared and further coated on the hot-dip galvalume steel plates. After curing, the passivation films were characterized by neutral salt spray test (NSST), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electrochemical testing and other methods. The results show that the formulations could be cured at an energy of 150 mJ/cm2, and the overall performance of the passivation film could meet with the requirements of the downstream users.

Lead and Cadmium Distribution in Tubes of Galvanized Steel by Hot-Dip Used for Drinking Water Supply

The main objective of this work was to evaluate the presence of lead and cadmium in galvanized steel tubes by hot-dip used exclusively for drinking water supply.In this research,samples of galvanized tubes were removed from walls of residential buildings with 30 years of use.In the process of hot galvanizing,the manufacturing standards allow or for low cost conveniences,and the use of primary zinc ingot with 1.6%metallic impurities,such as lead and cadmium,is allowed,enabling the incorporation of these metals into the zinc coating deposited on the carbon steel.The associated corrosion of these tubes can release these toxic metals,contaminating the drinking water used by residents.The samples taken from the tubes were evaluated by a square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry technique,and the results for lead and cadmium suggested randomly distributed levels,indicating that the contents of these contaminants depend mainly on the quality of the added primary zinc and the operational conditions of the immersion bath.The metallographic evaluations performed on the samples of the galvanized tubes showed irregularities in thickness and even a lack of the zinc layer deposited on the carbon steel surface.These facts suggest that galvanized tubes should not be used for drinking water.

A Carbonation and Chloride Induced Corrosion Model for Hot-dip Galvanised Reinforcement Bar Material in Concrete

This paper focuses on methodological issues relevant to corrosion risk prediction models.A model was developed for the prediction of corrosion rates associated with hot-dip galvanised reinforcement bar material in concrete exposed to carbonation and chlorides in outdoor environment.One-year follow-up experiments,over five years,were conducted at various carbonation depths and chloride contents.The observed dependence of corrosion rate on the depth of carbonation and chloride content is complex indicating that the interaction between the carbonation and chloride influencing the corrosion.A non-linear corrosion model was proposed with statistical analysis to model the relationship between the corrosion rate and the test parameters.The main methodological contributions are(i)the proposed modeling approach able to take into account the uncertain measurement errors including unobserved systematic and random heterogeneity over different measured specimens and correlation for the same specimen across different measuring times,which best suits the measurement data;(ii)the developed model in which an interaction parameter is introduced especially to account for the contribution and the degree of the unobserved carbonation-chloride interaction.The proposed model offers greater flexibility for the modelling of measurement data than traditional models.

Growth and corrosion behavior of rare earth film on hot-dip galvanized steel

Hot-dip galvanized(HDG)steel sheets were treated for 30 s?24 h by the rare earth aqueous solution containing 20 g/L Ce(NO3)3·6H2O,and the growth behavior and corrosion resistance of the rare earth film were investigated by SEM,EDS,AES and NSS.The results reveal that the rare earth film becomes thick while the mass gain of the samples does not distinctly change due to the zinc dissolution with the increase of treatment time.The film grows up more quickly and is apt to cracking in the vicinity of zinc grain boundaries,and eventually the film partly warps and flakes off with increasing film thickness.The NSS results show that the corrosion resistance of the film is dominated by both the film thickness and the cracks.With increasing treatment time,the corrosion resistance of the film increases within 1 h due to the increased film thickness and decreases after 1 h because the cracking and flaking off gradually become dominant factor.

The Effect of La on the Microstructure and Corrosion-resistance of Hot-dipped Aluminizing Steel

The effect of the content of rare-earth La on the microstructure and corrosion-resistance of hot-dipped aluminum was investigated in this paper. The results show that, under the same technology conditions, the thickness of hot-dipped aluminizing layer by adding the appropriate content of rare-earth La is about 2～3 times as much as that without rare-earth La, and the microstructure of hot-dipped aluminizing layer has also greatly changed ,and a great deal of phase Fe3Al was precipitated along the boundary of α phase. The corrosion resistance of the hot-dipped layer with rare-earth is greatly increased.

Research on the oxidation kinetics curve of 1Cr11Ni2W2MoV steel hot-dipped Al

In this paper, 1Cr11Ni2W2MoV steel that is aerial engine blade materials was hot dipped Al-6%Si-4%RE in order to improve its application temperature. According to GB/T13303-91 standard, samples with coating and without coating were oxidated at 700℃ from 5 h to 600 h. Two oxidation kinetics curves were drawn in terms of data of tests. The results showed that oxidation resistance of 1Cr11Ni2W2MoV steel hot-dipped Al-6%Si-4%RE is better than one without coating. From SEM and EMPA, the surface of coating formed dense and uninterrupted α-Al2O3, which is the bars of oxidation resistance. In addition, according to one crossing point of the two curves, it was suggested that hot dipped aluminum steel should be annealed before used.

Complex Boronized Layer on the Hot-dip Aluminized Steels and Its Surface Performances

Plain carbon steels were dipped in molten aluminum bath at 720°C ±5°C and diffused for 1, 2.5 and 6 hours respectively and then boronized at 950°C for 6 hours. The oxidation, hot-corrosion and abrasion resistance behavior were examined. The experimental results showed the compounds of the aluminized layer, from the surface to the matrix, were composed of Fe2Al5 ( n -phase ) .. Fe3Al ( -phase ) and a phase. The microstructure of aluminized plus complex boronized were similar to that simplex boronized. The XRD analysis results indicated that there existed Fe2B> Fe2AlB2and Fe2Als in this kind of layer. The simplex aluminized layers still remained bright gray appearance when oxidized at 950°C, but complex boronized layer was not able to resist oxidization at the temperature. Both the layers of complex boronized and aluminized had the same anti-oxidization level in the circulative oxidization tests, and also good anti-corrosion ability in molten salt medium. Under dry abrasive conditions, wear resistance of complex boronized layer was superior to the aluminized layer.