Abstract
The main objective of this work is the study of the hillock and zinc whisker evolution of five different commercial zinc coatings applied on the same base steel wires of the patented EASYCONNECT system cable trays manufactured by VALDINOX Ltd.: white zinc alkaline electrolyte, yellow zinc trivalent electrolyte, acid zinc electrolyte, hot dip galvanized, and zinc nickel coating. The limited literature on the subject is summarized, and then the coating thickness, chemical composition, hardness and surface rugosity are characterized. The hillock and whisker density evolution are evaluated over a period of 12 months, considering the presence of compression bending stresses. It is concluded that the white alkaline and yellow trivalent coatings are the most affected, while the zinc-nickel shows the best behavior with no presence of whiskers; the acid zinc electrolyte also shows good results despite the delayed appearance of whiskers from the ninth month; the hot-dip galvanized coating does not show any presence of zinc whiskers or hillocks.
Highlights
The most commonly used coatings consist of paints of various types, or the application of thin layers of other metals with superior resistance to environmental phenomena, such as chromium or zinc
White alkaline electrolyte coating: The sample was covered with a zinc coating electrolytic method
The main aim of this report is to study the evolution of zinc whisker growth in the different coatings throughout in-service time, with the aim of quantifying the density
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Steel is widely used in different fields, such as for cable trays and other components within the electronics sector. This metal presents oxidation and corrosion problems when in contact with the environment, so it is common practice to cover it with protective layers. The most commonly used coatings consist of paints of various types, or the application of thin layers of other metals with superior resistance to environmental phenomena, such as chromium or zinc
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