Corrosion stability of polyester coatings on steel pretreated with different iron–phosphate coatings

The influence of steel surface pretreatment with different types of iron–phosphate coatings on the corrosion stability and adhesion characteristics of polyester coatings on steel was investigated. The phosphate coating was chemically deposited either from the simple novel plating bath, or with the addition of NaNO2, as an accelerator in the plating bath. The morphology of phosphate coatings was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The corrosion stability of polyester coatings on steel pretreated by iron–phosphate coatings was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3% NaCl solution, while “dry” and “wet” adhesion were measured by a direct pull-off standardized procedure. It was shown that greater values of pore resistance, Rp, and smaller values of coating capacitance of polyester coating, Cc, on steel pretreated with iron–phosphate coating were obtained, as compared to polyester coating on steel phosphated with accelerator, and on the bare steel. The surface roughness of phosphate coating deposited on steel from the bath without accelerator is favorable in forming stronger bonds with polyester coating. Namely, the dry and wet adhesion measurements are in accordance with EIS measurements in 3% NaCl solution, i.e. lower adhesion values were obtained for polyester coating on steel phosphated with accelerator and on the bare steel, while the iron–phosphate pretreatment from the novel bath enhanced the adhesion of polyester coating on steel.