Improvement of Galvanizability of Silicon-bearing Steel by Electrodeposited Iron Coating Containing Oxygen

Abstract

Iron coatings were prepared by electrodeposition in a bath containing citrate to improve the galvanizability of silicon-bearing steel.
The iron coating electrodeposited from the bath containing citrate contains more than 4 mass% oxygen. This oxygen originates from the incorporation of the hydroxide of Fe³⁺ during electroplating.
The oxygen-containing coating improves the galvanizability of the silicon-bearing steel by suppressing the surface segregation of silicon during annealing. This is because silicon in the steel reacts with oxygen in the oxygen-containing coating to form internal oxides during annealing.