Patent ID: 7537663

Claim:
A process for creating a corrosion-inhibiting electroless zinc coating comprising: preparing a first bath comprising: a zinc source; and a complexing agent for the zinc, wherein said complexing agent increases the redox potential of the zinc ion from −1.25 volts, with the proviso that the first bath does not contain a reducing agent; preparing a separate second bath comprising a reducing agent, said reducing agent having a concentration greater than or equal to 0.5 M but less than or equal to 1.0 M, with the proviso that the second bath does not contain a zinc source; providing a steel surface; depositing the first bath onto said steel surface; and depositing the second bath onto the first bath on said steel surface, the second bath reacting with the first bath to form a zinc metal or zinc alloy coating, the zinc metal or zinc alloy being present as elemental species.