Characterization of the failure behavior of zinc coating on dual phase steel under tensile deformation

► The microcracks and voids at the zinc grain boundaries are the initial sites for the coating cracking. ► The crack spacing of the fragmentally fractured zinc coating is mainly determined by the zinc grain size. ► Small zinc grain size and the c-axis direction of zinc grain parallel to the zinc surface are beneficial to the mitigation of the zinc coating delamination.