Granular tin pre-coating was applied to improve the weldability of electrolytic chromium coated steel sheet (TFS-CT). Granular tin was easily obtained using a ferrostan bath with no additives and low current density. The size of tin granules was 0.5∼1.0μm in diameter and about 1.0μm in height.
The contact resistance of TFS-CT decreased remarkably with pre-coating of granular tin and the range of available welding current was wider than with lightly tin coated steel sheet (LTS).
The characteristics of granular tin pre-coated TFS-CT, such as lacquer adhesion, corrosion resistance, sulphur blackening and surface lightness, were the same as for TFS-CT. The lubrication of granular tin particularly reduced the coefficient of dynamic friction, to one half that of TFS-CT, about the same value as for tinplate.