Cracking behavior and formability of ZnAlMg coatings.

The research project “Cracking Behavior and Formability of ZnAlMg Coatings” is driven by the desire of the steel industry and its countless end-users to improve the formability of novel ZnAlMg coating coated steels. These are among the most promising steels in terms of their corrosion resistance and high strength; however their widespread application is limited by formability issues. This project will remove these barriers by providing an in-depth understanding of how the cracking behavior of ZnAlMg coatings is influenced by the hot-dip galvanization process, the chemical composition and the microstructure of the coatings. The formability problem of novel ZnAlMg coated next generation steels will be solved by optimizing the coating structure design and tailored alloying composition to deliver cracking-resistant microstructure.

Project leader & first supervisor

Prof. Dr. Yutao Pei

Second supervisor

Prof. Dr. Bart J. Kooi

PhD student

Masoud Ahmadi