The effect of γ-fiber texture intensity of carbon steel substrate on zinc hetero-epitaxial growth

In this study, it is shown that a non-fiber pyramidal texture component results from the hetero-epitaxial growth of zinc and its intensity increases with increasing intensity of γ-fiber texture in the steel substrate. In the electroplating conditions employed, steel substrate with a maximum plane intensity of 7.2 could not support epitaxial growth of zinc, but by increasing the maximum plane intensity of the γ-fiber texture in the steel substrate to 10.5 and 13.8, epitaxial growth of zinc occurred and became intense. It was found that epitaxial growth of zinc starts with tip shape nodule formation. Merging of the tips during further development of the coating creates continuous layers, which are laid over each other producing the so called “ridges morphology”.