Effect of Atmospheric-Pressure Gas-Plasma Treatment on Surface Properties of Hot-Dip Zn-Mg-Al Alloy-Coated Steel

• Published in: Archives of metallurgy and materials Vol. 68; no. 1; pp. 187 - 190
• Main Authors: Jeong, Chang-U, Kim, Jae-Hyeon, Park, Je-Shin, Kim, Min-Su, Kim, Sung-Jin, Oh, Min-Suk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Warsaw Polish Academy of Sciences 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Aluminum coatings; Atmospheric pressure; Coating effects; Compressed air; Contact angle; Corrosion potential; Free energy; Galvanized steel; Gases; Hydroxylation; Immersion coating; Magnesium; Metal sheets; Plasma; plasma treatment; Pressure effects; process gas; Scanning electron microscopy; Steel; Surface energy; Surface properties; Surface roughness; Ternary alloys; Zinc base alloys; Zinc coatings; zn-mg-al–galvanized steel
• ISSN: 1733-3490; 2300-1909
• DOI: 10.24425/amm.2023.141492

The effect of plasma-radical change on the surface properties of Zn-Mg-Al ternary-alloy-coated steel sheets during atmospheric-pressure (AP) plasma treatment using different process gases: O 2, N 2, and compressed air was investigated. The plasma-induced radicals promoted the formation of chemical particles on the surface of the Zn-Mg-Al coating, thereby increasing the surface roughness. The surface energy was calculated using the Owen-Wendtgeometric equation. Contact angle measurements indicated that the surface free energy of the alloy sheets increased upon AP plasma treatment. The surface properties of the Zn-Mg-Al coating changed more significantly in the order air > O 2 > N 2 gas, indicating that the plasma radicals facilitated the carbonization and hydroxylation of the Mg and Al components during the AP plasma treatment.