Iron Intermetallic Compounds (IMCs) Formation Mechanism in the Molten Aluminium Zinc (Al-Zn) Coating Alloy

Abstract

: To prevent corrosion of steel products, the steel industry often relies on Al-Zn based alloy coatings, applied through hot-dip coating technology. Despite this, a long-standing problem in the galvanizing industry involves the formation of Fe-based intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in the Al-Zn coating bath, caused by iron dissolution from steel products. Such IMCs are the primary source of dross formation in the Al-Zn bath, which inevitably leads to metal spot defects in the coated steel products and bottom dross build-up in the Al-Zn bath. The present research aims to investigate the mechanism of Fe transformation into IMCs. To achieve this, Fe saturated and unsaturated Al-Zn alloys were doped with low carbon steel at a temperature of 600 °C. The samples were collected at regular intervals and quenched in water. The optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to study the transformation of steel strips into Fe-IMCs particles in molten Al-Zn alloys. The study findings suggest that the Fe transformation into Fe-IMCs is a complex process, where the steel strip surface is initially oxidized, and Al 5 Fe 2 and Al 3 Fe are formed, which finally transform into Al 8 Fe 2 Si(Zn) ( τ 5c) IMCs particles. These results can assist galvanizers in understanding formation of Fe-IMCs and bottom dross build up in the costing pots.