Cathodic Protection of Steel by Electrodeposited Zinc-Nickel Alloy Coatings

The ability of electrodeposited zinc-nickel alloy coatings to cathodically protect steel was studied in dilute chloride solutions. The potential distribution along steel strips partly electroplated with zinc-nickel alloys was determined, and the length of exposed steel that was held below the minimum protection potential (Eprot) was taken as a measure of the level of cathodic protection (CP) provided by the alloy coatings. The level of CP afforded by zinc alloy coatings was found to decrease with increasing nickel content. When nickel content was increased to ≈ ≥ 21 wt%, no CP was obtained. Surface analysis of uncoupled zinc-nickel alloys that were immersed in sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions showed the concentration of zinc decreased in the surface layers while the concentration of nickel increased, indicating that the alloys were susceptible to dezincification. The analysis of zinc-nickel alloy coatings on partly electroplated steel strips that were immersed in chloride solution showed a significantly higher level of dezincification than that found for uncoupled alloy coatings. This effect accounted for the rapid loss of CP afforded to steel by some zinc alloy coatings, particularly those with high initial nickel levels.