The laws governing structure formation in Fe-Zn alloys electrodeposited from sulfate electrolytes

An integrated study of Fe-Zn alloys electrodeposited on a steel substrate from a sulfate electrolyte has been conducted by scanning electron microscopy, profilometry, and X-ray diffraction. The high surface roughness of the coatings electrodeposited at a concentration ratio of Zn: Fe = 5: 80 in the electrolyte has been attributed to the formation of specific relief entities and the presence of the Fe 75 Zn 25 phase in the structure of the coatings. It has been shown that polymer coatings exhibit a high strength of adhesion to highly rough Fe-Zn alloys.