Surface Oxide Formation during Rapid Heating of Zn-coated Press Hardening Steel

Abstract

During the conventional die-quenching processing of a galvanized PHS steel, a thick ZnO layer is formed at the surface. When the heating rate is increased, the oxide at the surface is a thin Al₂O₃ layer. This remarkable change in surface oxide during rapid heating is due to the partial melting of the coating instead of the solidification of the coating and the formation of Fe–Zn intermetallics. In the present study, the characterization of the surface oxide formation at different heating rates is presented.