Yellow Zinc Plating

When we were deciding what color zinc coating to use for our non powdercoated steel parts that are going to see moisture and salt we were asked whether we wanted to use silver clear zinc or yellow zinc.

Yellow zinc plating.

The process may be done in plating barrels or by racking the individual parts and usually involves cleaning activating zinc plating chromate conversion coating and drying with good rinsing between each stage. Zinc plating is a most valuable tool when used in combating corrosion of steel. Plating thickness can be regulated for a very thin coating of 00015 to 001 for severe corrosive environments. A metallurgical bond is formed between the zinc and steel forming an iron rich alloy with tenacious bond.

Chromate conversion coating or alodine coating is a type of conversion coating used to passivate steel aluminium zinc cadmium copper silver titanium magnesium and tin alloys. Zinc plating is one of the more versatile plating finishes. Zinc chromate zn cr o 4 is a chemical compound containing the chromate anion appearing as odorless yellow powder or yellow green crystals but when used for coatings pigments are often added. The zinc corrodes before the steel does sacrificing itself for the benefit of the steel.

I am trying to persuade our engineering department to allow us to make the switch to have our hardware clear zinc plated. It can be used for corrosion resistance aesthetics or as a paint base over the zinc plated metal. Yellow zinc plating vs. The finish has outstanding resistance to salt spray greatly surpasses the normal 96 hour salt spray resistance specified for yellow chromates on zinc.

Each color offers different levels of corrosion protection. Yellow zinc plating means zinc plating followed by a yellow chromate conversion coating. Liquid concentrate is used at 0 5 to 3 by volume in water at 65 to 90 f. P 1265 the coating serves as a corrosion inhibitor as a primer to improve the adherence of paints and adhesives as a decorative finish or to preserve electrical conductivity.

The various types of zinc plating can be identified by the color produced by the different formulations. It is used industrially in chromate conversion coatings having been developed by the ford motor company in the 1920s. The dilemma clear zinc silver zinc or yellow zinc plating. Yellow zinc this type of zinc coating is commonly used in the automotive industry and offers an average level of protection against corrosion.