Growth and corrosion behavior of molybdate passivation film on hot dip galvanized steel

Hot dip galvanized steel sheets were passivated by molybdate aqueous solution containing 10 g/LNa2 MoO4 @ 2H2O, and the growth behavior and corrosion resistance of the passivation film were investigated. Inthe initial stage of passivation, the mass gain of film increases with passivation time proportionally. The film growsup more quickly and is apt to cracking at grain boundaries of zinc, then the cracks spread gradually on the whole sur-face of the film, and eventually the film will flake off with the increasing of film thickness. XPS results indicate thatMo compounds are present in Mo(Ⅵ) state on the surface of the film, and Mo(Ⅵ) and Mo(Ⅳ ) states inside thefilm. NSS test shows that, the corrosion resistance of the passivation film decreases as the cracks occur, but inAASS test, the thicker the film is, the better the corrosion resistance is, the cracks of film have little effect on thecorrosion resistance.