Electrochemical Behavior During the Zirconium Conversion Coating Formation on AISI 1006 Steel

This study investigated a conversion coating based on hexafluorozirconic acid solution on cold-rolled (AISI 1006) steel sheets, in situ, at different pH values and immersion times. Electrochemical characterization was carried out by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with hexafluorozirconic acid bath as the electrolyte. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to evaluate the morphology of the coating in situ, i.e., during the coating formation. According to the results, the polarization resistance (Rp) of the conversion coating is affected by the immersion time and by the pH of the conversion bath. The electrochemical analyzes point out conversion baths at pH between 3.5 and 4.5 and immersion times from 600 to 900 s as optimal operating conditions, achieving an average polarization resistance of 713 ± 107 Ω cm2.