Article: Optimisation of a hot-dip galvanising process: minimising zinc consumption with silver additions Journal: International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering (IJSURFSE) 2012 Vol.6 No.3 pp.175 - 184 Abstract: The addition of silver to the bath of molten zinc in the hot-dip galvanisation process, affects the morphology and the microstructure of the resulted coatings on the surface of the given steel. The effectiveness of the obtained coatings was controlled by physical and chemical parameters of technical procedure: 1) bath temperature; 2) immersion time; 3) withdrawal speed; 4) addition of silver. Our results showed that there is a serious opportunity to optimise the galvanising process at a minimum thickness playing on the physical parameters and silver addition. It was found that galvanisation of reactive steel with molten zinc and silver produces coatings having four phases (Gamma, Delta, zeta and eta) and characterised by: bright and smooth surface with numerous visible and small sized spangles. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Optimisation of a hot-dip galvanising process: minimising zinc consumption with silver additions

Authors: Jalel Ben Nasr; Ali Snoussi; Chedly Bradai; Foued Elhalouani

Addresses: Laboratoire des Systèmes Electromécaniques LASEM (Unité PMM), Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route Soukra km 4, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia. ' Laboratoire des Systèmes Electromécaniques LASEM (Unité PMM), Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route Soukra km 4, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia. ' Laboratoire des Systèmes Electromécaniques LASEM (Unité PMM), Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route Soukra km 4, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia. ' Laboratoire des Systèmes Electromécaniques LASEM (Unité PMM), Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route Soukra km 4, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia

Abstract: The addition of silver to the bath of molten zinc in the hot-dip galvanisation process, affects the morphology and the microstructure of the resulted coatings on the surface of the given steel. The effectiveness of the obtained coatings was controlled by physical and chemical parameters of technical procedure: 1) bath temperature; 2) immersion time; 3) withdrawal speed; 4) addition of silver. Our results showed that there is a serious opportunity to optimise the galvanising process at a minimum thickness playing on the physical parameters and silver addition. It was found that galvanisation of reactive steel with molten zinc and silver produces coatings having four phases (Gamma, Delta, zeta and eta) and characterised by: bright and smooth surface with numerous visible and small sized spangles.

Keywords: galvanised steel; silver additive; optimisation; zinc deposition; optimisation; hot-dip galvanising; zinc consumption; morphology; microstructure; molten zinc; coatings.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2012.049049

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, 2012 Vol.6 No.3, pp.175 - 184

Received: 23 Jun 2011
Accepted: 15 Oct 2011
Published online: 21 Aug 2014 *

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Title: Optimisation of a hot-dip galvanising process: minimising zinc consumption with silver additions

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