Fracture properties of zinc coating layers in a galvannealed steel and an electrolytically galvanized steel

The zinc coating layer fracture properties of a galvannealed steel and an electrolytically galvanized steel are analyzed by conducting the in-situ bending test with newly designed samples. It is found that the fracture develops much earlier in the coating layers of the galvannealed steel than that of the electrolytically galvanized steel. Using transmission electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, the intermetallic phases of the coating layers are characterized and it is found that the early crack initiation in a galvannealed steel is mainly triggered in the gamma phase. Combining with nanoindentation tests and corresponding simulation, the deformability of intermetallic phases are analyzed to explain the failure behavior of coating layers in the two steels.