Electrodeposition of Zn-Mn (0 divided by 50 w/o) onto carbon steel she
et and wire is discussed in the present paper. An original bath is pro
posed and effects of stabilisers are studied. Baths and deposits are s
tudied from the electrochemical and structural points of view. Electro
chemical investigations include galvanostatic and potentiodynamic stud
ies carried out in laboratory cells under natural and forced (rotating
disk electrode) convection and a wire-plating pilot plant. Structural
and compositional investigations include X-ray diffraction analyses,
scanning electron imaging and energy dispersive analyses on steel shee
t and wire. Electrochemical data can be correlated with alloy composit
ion (limiting currents and how they are affected by mass transport con
ditions), morphological results (lamellar low-Mn vs. globular high-Mn)
and crystallographic (metastable epsilon monophasic deposits in the h
igh-Mn range, polyphasic low-Mn coatings) structure, the variables whi
ch have a bearing on functional properties of the coatings.