Effects of Solid-Solute V on the Phosphatability of Hot-Rolled Steel Sheets

Abstract

The phosphatability of hot-rolled steel sheets has become increasingly important with application of higher strength and thinner steel sheets to automotive parts. Although vanadium (V) is an alloying element which is often added to high strength hot-rolled steel sheets, the effect of V on phosphatability was still unclear. This study investigated the phosphatability of V-added hot-rolled steel sheets by using V-free, 0.20% V, and 0.47% V steel sheets as test specimens. After phosphate treatment, phosphate crystals covered the whole surface of the V-free and 0.20% V steel sheets, but no phosphate crystals were observed on the surface of the 0.47% V steel sheets. In order to clarify this difference, potentiostatic polarization measurement was carried out in the phosphate treatment solution. Phosphate crystals were found on the surface of the V-free steel sheet after both cathodic and anodic polarization. In contrast, no phosphate crystals were found on the surface of the 0.47% V steel sheet after anodic polarization, but similarly to the V-free steel sheet, phosphate crystals had formed after cathodic polarization. A surface analysis by XPS revealed that V oxides had precipitated on the surface of the 0.47% V steel sheet after anodic polarization. V oxidation reaction involves the generation of hydrogen ions and prevent the steel/solution interfacial pH from rising. This reaction identified as the deterioration mechanism of the phosphatability of V-added hot-rolled steel sheets.