This study examined the effects of minor alloying elements (C, Ni, Cr, and Mo) on the long-term corrosion behaviors of ultrahigh-strength automotive steel sheets with a tensile strength of more than 1800 MPa. A range of experimental and analytical results showed that the addition of Ni, Cr, and Mo decreased the corrosion current density and weight loss in electrochemical and immersion tests, respectively, in a neutral aqueous condition. This suggests that the minor addition of elements to steel can result in improved corrosion resistance even for long-term immersion periods. This is closely associated with the formation of thin and stable corrosion scale on the surface, which was enriched with the alloying elements (Ni, Cr, and Mo). On the other hand, their beneficial effects did not persist during the prolonged immersion periods in steel with a higher C content, suggesting that the beneficial effects of the minor addition of Ni, Cr, and Mo were overridden by the detrimental effects of a higher C content as the immersion time was increased. Based on these results, lower C and the optimal use of Ni, Cr, and Mo are suggested as a desirable alloy design strategy for developing ultrahigh-strength steel sheets that can be exposed frequently to a neutral aqueous environment.

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The effects of the electrogalvanizing conditions (a combination of plating current and time) on hydrogen infusion, embrittlement, and corrosion-induced hydrogen embrittlement (HE) behaviors of ultra-high strength steel were examined. A range of experimental and analytical methods, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, hydrogen permeation, polarization, and slow strain rate test, were employed. The results showed that the applied cathodic current density during electrogalvanizing had an inverse relationship with the Zn crystalline size. A smaller cathodic current density and longer plating time led to a larger crystalline size, resulting in a higher infusion rate of hydrogen atoms, and HE-sensitivity (i.e., mechanical degradation with larger density of secondary crack in fracture surface). On the other hand, a larger cathodic current density and shorter plating time caused a higher anodic dissolution rate and smaller polarization resistance of the coating when exposed to neutral aqueous environments. Hence, a higher rate of galvanic corrosion between the coating and exposed steel substrate (e.g., locally damaged areas around coating layer) resulted in a higher infusion rate of hydrogen atoms and HE-sensitivity. This study provides insight into the desirable plating conditions for electro-Zn plating on ultra-high strength steels with enhanced resistance to hydrogen infusion and embrittlement, induced by aqueous corrosion.

The effects of a thin Ni-flash coating on hydrogen evolution, ad/absorption, and permeation of advanced high-strength steel were examined for a deeper understanding of the hydrogen infusion behavior in the steel substrate during electrogalvanizing. The electrochemical permeation technique and impedance spectroscopy were used under cathodic polarization in a step-up manner. In addition to the electrochemical analyses, the hydrogen microprinting technique was employed to identify the distribution of Ag particles (locating hydrogen atoms) in the electrogalvanized steels with and without a thin intermediate Ni-layer. The results revealed that despite the higher hydrogen evolution rate on Ni-layer than on bare steel, the intermediate Ni-layer decreased the hydrogen infusion considerably in the steel substrate during electrogalvanizing, due primarily to the lower hydrogen ad/absorption rate on the Ni-layer, and the predominant hydrogen trapping at the multi-interfacial areas of the Zn-layer/Ni-layer/steel substrate. These results could provide insights into the precise role of a thin Ni-flash coating on the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement of ultra-high-strength steel alloys during electrogalvanizing.

The effects of adding CO2 to low level H2S containing aqueous environment on the corrosion and hydrogen penetration behaviors of high-strength steel were evaluated using a range of experimental and analytical methods. The corrosion rate of the steel sample exposed to a low level of H2S dissolved in an aqueous solution was comparatively higher than the one exposed to a mixture of low concentrations of H2S with CO2 dissolved in the aqueous solution. The higher corrosion resistance of the steel in the mixture of low concentrations of H2S and CO2 was attributed primarily to the three-layer structure of corrosion scale, comprised of an outer Fe-oxide, middle FeS1-X, and inner FeCO3, which formed on the steel sample. In particular, the formation of a thin FeCO3 layer with protective and non-conductive nature may serve as an effective barrier against the penetration of aggressive ionic species in solution, as well as hydrogen atoms formed by cathodic reduction or hydrolysis reactions. Consequently, the hydrogen permeation level, which was measured in a mixture of low-level H2S and CO2, was controlled to a comparatively lower value. Nevertheless, the higher level of hydrogen permeation in a mixture of low levels of H2S and CO2 at the early corrosion stage might increase the potential risk of pre-mature failure by hydrogen-assisted cracking.