Performance of zinc phosphate coatings obtained by cathodic electrochemical treatment in accelerated corrosion tests

The formation of zinc phosphate coating by cathodic electrochemical treatment and evaluation of its corrosion resistance is addressed. The corrosion behaviour of cathodically phosphated mild steel substrate in 3.5% sodium chloride solution exhibits the stability of these coatings, which lasts for a week's time with no red rust formation. Salt spray test convincingly proves the white rust formation in the scribed region on the painted substrates and in most part of the surface on unpainted surface. The protective ability of the zinc corrosion product formed on the surface of the coated steel is evidenced by the decrease in the loss in weight due to corrosion of the uncoated mild steel, when it is galvanically coupled with cathodically phosphated mild steel. Potentiodynamic polarization curves reveal that E-corr shifts towards higher cathodic values (in the range of -1000 to -1100 mV versus SCE) compared to that of uncoated mild steel and conventionally phosphated mild steel substrates. The i(corr) value is also very high for these coatings. EIS studies reveal that zinc dissolution is the predominant reaction during the initial stages of immersion. Subsequently, the non-metallic nature of the coating is progressively increased due to the formation of zinc corrosion products, which in turn enables an increase in corrosion resistance with increase in immersion time. The zinc corrosion products formed may consist of zinc oxide and zinc hydroxychloride. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.