Technical Note
Next Generation Metallic Coatings
Hot-dip coatings are widely used for the corrosion
protection of steel, with zinc based alloys providing both
barrier and galvanic protection to the steel substrate.
The corrosion resistance of a galvanized coating is largely
linear, so for a given environment, a thicker coating equates
to a longer service life. For batch galvanized coatings the
coating thickness is not readily controlled by the galvanizer
and can vary with dipping time (increases alloy layer
growth), steel thickness and surface roughness; it is also
influenced by steel chemistry, particularly silicon and
phosphorus levels.
In a batch galvanized coating, the iron-zinc alloy layer
makes up a significant part of the overall coating thickness.
And although offering similar corrosion resistance to zinc,
the zinc iron intermetallic layers in galvanized coatings are
brittle and may crack or delaminate during subsequent
bending or forming operations.
For both manufacturing process and end-use
considerations, continuous galvanized coatings require a
high degree of ductility which is achieved by suppressing
the growth of the iron-zinc alloy layer through the addition
of aluminium (nominally 0.18%) to the zinc bath. Because
of this, the coating microstructures of batch and continuous
galvanized coatings are quite different, as shown in figures
1 and 2.
Delta and zeta (Fe Zn) alloy
Zinc
Figure 1.
50 µm
Microstructure
of a batch
Steel
galvanized pipe
Zinc
Ternary Fe Zn alloy
20 µm Figure 2.
Microstructure
Steel of a continuously
galvanized strip
28 Corrosion & Materials
As the alloy layer is inhibited on continuous galvanized
coatings, the coating thickness is independent of dipping
time, steel gauge and chemistry. Surface roughness can
have an effect however is only relevant if the process
includes some form of abrasive cleaning; in almost all
cases coating thickness is controlled by gas wiping of the
molten zinc1. Continuous galvanizers are able to vary and
control the coating thickness much better than in batch
galvanizing, however are still limited in the amount of zinc
that they can apply. This has driven the development of hot-
dip zinc-aluminium based coatings which offer improved
corrosion resistance over traditional galvanized zinc
coatings of similar coating thicknesses. Unlike galvanized
coatings, hot-dip zinc-aluminium coatings do not exhibit a
linear corrosion rate. For example the weight loss of Galfan
(Zn-5Al) during the first two or three years is slightly less
than a galvanized coating, but as its surface passivates its
rate of weight loss decreases parabolically. Over a long
term exposure period, Galfan typically provides 2 to 4 times
the durability of galvanized coatings of the same thickness2
(Figure 3).
4.5
4 alternative to AZ coatings and give excellent barrier-coating
3.5
3 AZ. The corrosion resistance of these coatings is very high
2.5
GPR
2
1.5
1 also have poorer alkali resistance compared to zinc alloy
0.5
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
YEARS
Figure 3. Galfan (Zn-5Al) performance ratio as compared to
heavy galvanizing3
Continuous hot-dip metallic coated steel sheet is specified
according to AS 13974, which is currently under review to
include three new coating classes, all of which contain zinc
and aluminium, and two of which also contain magnesium.
Existing coating classes in AS 1397 comprise:
Zinc (Z): 99% Zn
Zinc/Iron (ZF): Zn converted to ZnFe alloy
Aluminium/Zinc (AZ): 50-60% Al, 1-2% Si
The revised version of AS 1397 will allow alternate (non-
chromate) passivation treatments and include three new
coating classes:
Zinc/Aluminium (ZA): 4-15% Al
Zinc/Aluminium/Magnesium (ZM): 5-13% Al, 2-4% Mg
Aluminium/Zinc/Magnesium (AM): 47-57% Al, 1-4% Mg,
1-2% Si
In general, zinc-coated (Type Z) steel is intended
for applications requiring low to moderate
corrosion resistance.
Zinc-aluminium-coated (Type ZA) steel is used mostly
for applications that require good coating ductility and
in environments requiring moderate to high corrosion
resistance with good galvanic protection. Zinc-aluminium
has the best formability of all the coating classes and its
corrosion resistance is much better than zinc, but less than
unformed ZM coatings. ZA coatings retain a higher degree
of corrosion resistance after forming than coatings with
brittle alloy layers.
Zinc/aluminium/magnesium-coated (Type ZM) steel has
high to very high corrosion resistance in many aggressive
environments with good galvanic protection.
Zinc/aluminium/magnesium is being offered as a more
corrosion resistant alternative to Zinc.
Aluminium/zinc alloy coatings (Type AZ) offer excellent
barrier-coating protection combined with some galvanic
protection and very high corrosion resistance on unformed
panels. Aluminium/zinc/magnesium alloy coatings (Type
AM) are being offered as a more corrosion resistant
protection combined with better galvanic protection than
in most environments, however these coatings give less
galvanic protection than Zn based alloys, and are therefore
less suitable for thicker gauges. Aluminium alloy coatings
coatings, although AM is better than AZ, so are not suited
for applications involving intensive animal farming or
60 contact with concrete.
It is difficult to specify the absolute relative performance of
each of the above coating types as performance varies with
end use and exposure environment, however for all coating
types, coating life is a function of coating thickness.
The key benefit of using high performance metallic coatings
is increased service life over traditional galvanized coatings,
particularly in unwashed and marine applications. Typically,
improved product durability can be achieved at lower
coating thicknesses than traditional zinc coatings. Some
coating classes offer additional benefits, such as improved
formability or paintability, so selection of the appropriate
coating for a given application should be made based on
a range of considerations including the application, the
environment and the durability requirement.
For heavier gauge products such as roll-formed structural
sections, formability of the coating is an important
consideration. Roll forming may have no effect whatsoever
on the coating, however the likelihood of damage
www.corrosion.com.au
increases with increasing substrate gauge and decreasing
bend radius and can be influenced by steel grade.
Cracking through the coating provides initiation points for
corrosion with a corresponding decrease in service life
(see figures 4 and 5); in extreme cases disbonding of the
coating may occur.
Ductile Zn
Steel
Brittle Zn Fe inter-
metallic layer
20 µm
Figure 4. External corner on roll formed tube 65x65x2.5 showing
cracking through the alloy layer
Figure 5.
Structural
section rolled
from 55Al-1.5Si
coated strip
showing failure
on the external
corners in a
neutral salt
spray test.
A case in point is OneSteel’s development of Duragal
Platinum, a Zn-12Al coating for cold formed structural
steel profile sections, produced at their Somerton, Victoria,
plant. Profile shapes produced at Somerton include
angles, channels and flat sections in gauges to 8mm
and strip widths to 490mm. Sections are hot-dip coated
after forming but before the final sizing operation, so
formability was a key consideration in the selection of the
coating. Atmospheric corrosion resistance in marine and
sheltered environments was another key consideration and
under these conditions Zn-12Al can provide three times
the durability of a galvanized coating of the same coating
thickness5. Included in the product range are brick lintels,
which were previously rated as R26 (suitable for use up
to 10 km from breaking surf) with a 300 g/m2 Zn coating.
The new Zn-12Al coating achieves an R3 rating (suitable
for use up to 1 km from the coast) at a nominal coating
weight of 250 g/m2. Other considerations in the selection of
this ZA type coating similar galvanic protection to zinc and
being suitable for embedding in concrete. These last two
considerations and the ductility requirement rule out AZ
and AM type coatings for this application. Type ZM coatings
meet the requirements for galvanic protection and concrete
compatibility and have excellent atmospheric corrosion
resistance, however adding magnesium to a zinc aluminium
Vol 36 No 3 June 2011 29
 Technical Note
coating decreases its formability and cracking resistance7
(due to formation of a hard & brittle MgZn2 phase) so the
effect of cold forming heavy gauge product would require
careful evaluation before being deemed suitable for this
particular application.
1400
Hours to Initial Red Rust (hrs)
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
31 61 92 122 153
Coating Weight Each Side (g/m2)
12AI coated profile
sections, test stopped at
810 hours with no sign of
red rust
Figure 6. 12Al coated profile sections, compared to published
ASTM B 117 test data for Galfan and galvanized sheet3
Elongated apha-grain
Beta-zinc
Intermetallic layer is sub-
micron in thickness
Steel Substrate
Figure 7. Air cooled 15Al coating – convex side of 180o bend, back
scatter image, showing elongation of the alpha-grains, note that
10-15% Al coatings have the same microstructure. Quenching
produces a finer “honey combed” microstructure with enhanced
corrosion resistance.
30 Corrosion & Materials
In summary, the trend in metallic coating development
is for thinner, more corrosion resistant alloys with
zinc/aluminium/magnesium alloys replacing zinc, and
aluminium/zinc/magnesium replacing aluminium-zinc. For
applications requiring maximum ductility, zinc-aluminium
is the best choice with a corrosion resistance between zinc
and zinc/aluminium/magnesium. All zinc alloy coatings
require passivation and the common trend among all
coating classes is the phasing out of hexavalent chromium-
based treatments in favour of less hazardous alternatives.
References
[1] Pad wiping and magnetic wiping are used in continuous
wire and rod galvanizing lines as an alternative to gas
wiping
Galfan
[2] GalvInfoNote 1.9, Zinc-5% Aluminum Alloy-Coated
Steel Sheet (2011)
Galvanize [3] Hot-dip 5%Al-Zn (Galfan) coated and pre-painted
5%Al-Zn(ColorFan) coated steel products, Yieh Phui
Enterprise’s Product Brochure (data courtesy of the
Galfan Development Organisation)
[4] AS 1397-2001, Steel sheet and strip—Hot-dip zinc-coated
Z200 GI coated rolled or aluminium/zinc-coated will be renamed in the
hollow sections, first red revised standard to: Continuous hot-dip metallic coated
rust developed around steel sheet and strip: Coatings of aluminium, zinc and
170 hours magnesium (DR AS 1397)
[5] David HARRISON and Yihui LIU, Corrosion Resistance of
Continuous Hot-dip Zn-12Al Coatings, 8th International
Conference on Zinc and Zinc Alloy Coated Steel Sheet
(Galvatech), Genova, Italy (2011)
[6] Lintels are subject to the durability requirements of
AS/NZS 2699.3:2002, Built-in components for masonry
and shelf angles. AS/NZS 2699.3 classifies durability
using an R rating, which is based on airborne salt
deposition rates.
[7] Evy De BRYCKER, Zn-Al-Mg Alloy Coatings:
Thermodynamic Analysis and Microstructure Related
Properties, PhD Thesis, University of Gent, 2005-2006
David Harrison
OneSteel Australian Tube Mills
www.corrosion.com.au Vol 36 No 3 June 2011 31