The Development of a Zinc-Based Touch-Up Solder for General Galvanised Products

Limitations of current touch-up solders for galvanised steel include coating thickness control problems and poor corrosion and abrasion resistance as well as health and environmental concerns due to toxic constituents such as lead. This paper reports on progress in ILZRO-sponsored research to develop an improved touch-up solder. Encouraging results were achieved in torch soldering trials with experimental zinc-tin-based alloys. Mouldability and coating thickness control were achieved over a practical working temperature range in which the solders consisted of a viscous mixture of solid primary zinc phase particles in a liquid zinc-tin eutectic matrix. The mouldability was dependent on the microstructure of the solder sticks, and optimum structures could be obtained through control of casting solidification rates and by the addition of small amounts of copper. Hardness, abrasion resistance, adhesion and corrosion tests on experimental Zn- (40 - 50 per cent) Sn-I per cent Cu also showed improved performance over lead-tin-zinc solders and compared the effects of tin content within this range. Atmospheric corrosion testing and optimisation of alloy composition and methods of solder stick production are continuing.