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The effect of sol–gel boehmite coatings on the corrosion and decarburization of C45 steel

  • Original Paper: Functional coatings, thin films and membranes (including deposition techniques)
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Abstract

Sol–gel boehmite coatings were produced on the polished surfaces of hypo-eutectoid C45carbon steel by dip coating. After the deposition the coatings were heat treated by drying at RT, 150 and 200 °C. It was found that for crack-free coatings, the drying temperature needs to be ≥150 °C. Properly heat-treated boehmite coatings then improve the corrosion resistance of steel, while proposed alumina coatings derived from the boehmite coatings during annealing of the steel affect the decarburization. The coated steel samples were annealed at temperatures that are typical for the heat-treatment and thermomechanical process of C45 steel, i.e., <AC1 (tempering, sphereoidization) and >AC3 (austenitization, thermomechanical process). The sol–gel alumina coating decreased the decarburization rate of the quenched steel during the tempering (≤600 °C), which meant that the hardness reduction on the steel surface was smaller. Alumina coatings have a smaller effect on the decarburization at higher temperatures; however, the metallographic analyses indicate that the coatings can retard the oxidation rate in comparison to the decarburization rate and thus, somewhat increase the visual level of the decarburization. Under annealing conditions (T = 950 °C, t = 0.5–2 h) at which the oxidation rate is higher than the decarburization rate the decarburization process is not important since the decarburized layer is peeled off the steel surface together with the scale. No visual decarburization is then observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Natural Science and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 12, SI – 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Aleš Nagode, Kaja Jerina, Milan Bizjak, Borut Kosec, Blaž Karpe & Borut Zorc

  2. National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI – 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ivan Jerman

  3. Faculty of Engineering, University of Malta, Msida MSD, 2080, Malta

    Daniel Vella

Authors
  1. Aleš Nagode
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  2. Kaja Jerina
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  3. Ivan Jerman
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  4. Daniel Vella
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  5. Milan Bizjak
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  6. Borut Kosec
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  7. Blaž Karpe
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  8. Borut Zorc
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Correspondence to Aleš Nagode.

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Highlights

  • Sol-gel boehmite coatings may increase corrosion resistance of carbon steel.

  • Crack-free boehmite coatings were formed after drying at T  ≥ 150  °C.

  • Alumina coatings decrease the carburization rate of quenched steel annealed at T  ≤ 600 °C.

  • At higher temperatures the sol-gel alumina coatings have less effect on the decarburization.

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Nagode, A., Jerina, K., Jerman, I. et al. The effect of sol–gel boehmite coatings on the corrosion and decarburization of C45 steel. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 86, 568–579 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-018-4664-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-018-4664-4

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