Hydrogen embrittlement induced by electrochemical plating of Zinc-Nickel and Zinc coatings on high strength steel specimens

摘要

Electroplating of high strength steels with Zinc (Zn) or Zinc Nickel (ZnNi) is widely applied to ensure sufficient corrosion protection in service. During the electroplating process, hydrogen forms at the surface of the to be plated component. Depending on the present process conditions this can lead to a hydrogen absorption by the steel. This results in the paradoxic situation that the electroplating process itself, which is intended to protect the high-strength components against hydrogen embrittlement caused by corrosion processes in operation conditions, can even lead to a hydrogen embrittlement.