Features of the corrosion of coatings based on zinc alloys: oxidation products and the selective dissolution of zinc. Review
Authors: Biryukov Alexander I. , Kozaderov Oleg A. , Batmanova Tanyana V. 
Published: June 2024

The literature review analyses and systematizes the results of corrosion studies of widely used anti-corrosion zinc coatings based on various binary systems Zn-Al, Zn-Mg, Zn-Fe, Zn-Ni, Zn-Co. The patterns of corrosion, the role of selective dissolution and corrosion products in increasing the corrosion resistance of coatings in neutral chloride-containing environments have been studied. The analysis shows that the corrosion rate depends on the chemical and phase composition of zinc coatings, which is due to differences in the corrosion behavior of the phase components of the alloys. Selective dissolution has an ambiguous effect on the corrosion resistance of coatings. On the one hand, the process of selective dissolution of zinc can be accompanied by the formation of corrosion cracks, which reduces the corrosion resistance of thecoating. On the other hand, a rough surface enriched with an electropositive alloying component is formed. As a result, roughness stimulates the deposition of a denser and more compact layer of corrosion products, which reduces the access of oxygen and other electrolyte components to the coating’s surface. Under certain conditions, a film of corrosion products can provide additional resistance to the corrosion process due to low electrical conductivity. With the uniform dissolution of coatings, both the co-precipitation of complex compounds of zinc and alloying metals and the doping of the product layer with oxides or hydroxides of alloying metals occur. This also results in increased compactness and reduced electrical conductivity, which increases the corrosion resistance of the coatings. The purpose of the article: an overview of the resultsof studies of corrosion of zinc coatings, physical and chemical features of the formation and composition of the layer of corrosion products, the influence of corrosion products and selective dissolution on the corrosion resistance of coatings.
A review of the results of studies relating to the corrosion of zinc coatings was carried out, taking into account the formation of a protective layer of corrosion products and the selective dissolution of zinc. The corrosion of zinc coatings is influenced by the structure and phase composition of the coatings, the selective dissolution of zinc, as well as the nature of the layer of corrosion products. The corrosion resistance of zinc coatings increases if a compact layer of corrosion products with low electrical conductivity is formed. The selective dissolution of zinc can have a positive effect on its protective ability due to the formation of a rough surface, which promotes the deposition of a denser layer of corrosion products. In the case of theuniform dissolution of zinc alloy coatings, alloying metals are able to integrate into the structure of zinc corrosion products, which makes the layer more compact and leads to a decrease in its electrical conductivity, significantly increasing the corrosion resistance of the coatings