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Intergranular zinc embrittlement and its inhibition by phosphorus in 55 pct Al-Zn-coated sheet steel

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Abstract

Room-temperature tensile and bend tests and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were used to study embrittlement in sheet steels coated with a 55 pct Al-Zn alloy and then heated in the range 316 to 538 °C for up to 5000 hours. The results of these studies show that embrittlement is caused by diffusion of Zn from the coating into the ferrite grain boundaries of the steel substrate, reducing intergranular cohesion. The activation energy for grain boundary diffusion of Zn in iron is estimated at 89 kJ/mole. When present in the steel in concentrations of at least 0.04 pct by weight, P is shown to prevent embrittlement by preemptively segregating to the ferrite grain boundaries where it blocks intergranular diffusion of Zn.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sheet Steels and Coated Products Division, Research Department, Bethlehem Steel Corporation, 18016, Bethlehem, PA

    L. Allegra (Supervisor), R. G. Hart (Engineer) & H. E. Townsend (Supervisor)

Authors
  1. L. Allegra
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  2. R. G. Hart
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  3. H. E. Townsend
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Allegra, L., Hart, R.G. & Townsend, H.E. Intergranular zinc embrittlement and its inhibition by phosphorus in 55 pct Al-Zn-coated sheet steel. Metall Trans A 14, 401–411 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02644218

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02644218

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