Patent ID: 7803428

Claim:
A method for coating a steel surface of a workpiece, comprising: subjecting a workpiece comprising a steel surface to a first embrittlement-relief baking operation to form a protective oxide layer on the steel surface; de-scaling the protective oxide layer from the steel surface; activating the steel surface; depositing a hydrogen barrier coating on the activated steel surface to a thickness not greater than about 2.54 microns; activating the hydrogen barrier coating to form an activated hydrogen barrier coating; plating a zinc-nickel alloy layer on the activated hydrogen barrier coating to form a porous plate, the zinc-nickel alloy layer comprising about 85 weight percent to about 95 weight percent zinc and about 5 weight percent to about 15 weight percent nickel; subjecting zinc-nickel porous plate to a second embrittlement-relief baking operation in a substantially inert atmosphere; and sealing the zinc-nickel porous plate with zinc phosphate and trivalent chromate.