Structure of as-deposited and heat-treated iron-zinc coatings from chloride bath.

摘要

The iron content, phase constitution, and microstructure of electrodeposited iron-zinc alloy (EZA) coatings, deposited from chloride baths, is described for as-deposited and heat-treated conditions of coatings containing bulk iron contents of 6, 8, 10, and 13 w/o. The observed influence of current density upon iron content, which in turn influences the phase constitution and microstructure of the coatings, is reported. The microstructure, composed of non-equilibrium phases that have nanometer grain sizes, is illustrated and described with respect to iron content, crystallography, and morphology. As-deposited (eta) phase coatings undergo transformations through a sequence of metastable phases when heated. The sequence of phase transformations varies with iron content, but the mechanisms of phase transformation from the as-deposited eta phase to the metastable G phase was found to be similar in 6, 8, and 10 w/o Fe coatings. Microstructural, compositional, and crystallographic changes associated with this phase transformation are discussed.