Characterization of the failure behavior of zinc coating on dual phase steel under tensile deformation

The failure behavior of hot-dip galvanized zinc coatings on dual phase steels under tensile deformation is characterized with in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Under tension, the pre-existed microcracks and voids at the zinc grain boundaries propagate along the zinc grain boundaries to form crack nets within the coating, leading to a segmented fracture of the zinc coating with the crack spacing approximately equal to the zinc grain size. With further loading, the coating segments partially delaminated along the interface between the top zinc layer and the inhibition layer instead of the interface between the inhibition layer and steel substrate. As the c-axis of zinc grains trends to be normal to the tensile loading direction, the twinning deformation became more noticeable, and meanwhile the coating delamination was diminished. The transverse and incline tunneling cracks occurred in the inhibition layer with tensile deformation. The existence of the brittle FeZn13 particles on top of the inhibition layer was unfavorable to the coating adhesion.