Title of Invention

GALVANIZED STEEL SHEET AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

Abstract A method for producing a galvanized steel sheet includes contacting a steel sheet with a zinc-containing aqueous solution having a zinc ion concentration of 1 to 100 g/1, contacting the steel sheet with an aqueous solution with a pH of 6 to 14, washing the steel sheet with water, and then drying the steel sheet. An example of the zinc- containing aqueous solution is a solution containing zinc sulfate. According to the method, an oxide layer which has an average thickness of 10 nm or more and which principally contains zinc is formed on the steel sheet and the galvanized steel sheet can be stably produced at high speed in a reduced space so as to have excellent press formability.
Full Text DESCRIPTION
GALVANIZED STEEL SHEET AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for stably
producing a galvanized steel sheet having low sliding
resistance and excellent press formability during press
molding and also relates to a galvanized steel sheet.
Background Art
Galvanized steel sheets are widely used for various
applications such as automotive bodies. For such
applications, the galvanized steel sheets are press-molded
for use. The galvanized steel sheets, however, have a
disadvantage that the galvanized steel sheets are inferior
in press formability to cold-rolled steel sheets. This is
because the sliding resistance of the galvanized steel
sheets to press molds is greater than that of the cold-
rolled steel sheets. That is, the galvanized steel sheets
have portions with high sliding resistance to press molds
and beads and therefore are unlikely to be provided in the
press molds; hence, the galvanized steel sheets are likely
to be broken.
Galvannealed steel sheets produced through hot-dip
galvanizing and then alloying are more excellent in
wwldability and coatability as compared with other
galvanized steel sheets and are widely used for automotive
bodies.
A galvannealed steel sheet is one obtained as follows:
a steel sheet is .galvanized and is then heat-treated such
that an alloying reaction occurs due to the interdiffusion
of Fe in the steel sheet and Zn in a plating layer to create
an Fe-Zn alloy phase. The Fe-Zn alloy phase is usually a
coating consisting of a T phase, a 81 phase, and a C, phase.
Hardness and melting point tend to decrease with a reduction
in Fe concentration, that is, in the order of the T phase,
the 81 phase, and the L, phase. Therefore, high-Fe
concentration coatings are useful in view of slidability
because the coatings have high hardness and a high melting
point and are unlikely to be adhesive. Since press
formability is one of important properties of the
galvannealed steel sheet, the galvannealed steel sheet is
produced so as to include a coating with a slightly
increased Fe concentration.
However, the high-Fe concentration coatings have a
problem that F phases which are hard and brittle are likely
to be formed at plating-steel sheet interfaces to cause a
phenomenon in which peeling occurs at the interfaces, that
is, so called powdering, during machining.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose techniques for
solving the problem. In the techniques, a galvanized steel
sheet is improved in weldability and workability in such a
manner that an oxide film made of ZnO is formed on the
galvanized steel sheet by electrolysis, dipping, coating
oxidation, or heating.
However, the application of the techniques disclosed in
the Patent Documents 1 and 2 to the galvannealed steel sheet
is not effective in achieving an improvement in press
formability because the galvannealed steel sheet has low
surface reactivity and large surface irregularities because
of the presence of Al oxides. Since the galvannealed steel
sheet has low surface reactivity, it is difficult to form a
desired coating on the galvannealed steel sheet by
electrolysis, dipping, coating oxidation, or heating and a
portion with low reactivity, that is, a portion containing a
large amount of the Al oxides, is reduced in thickness.
Since the surface irregularities are large, surface
protrusions are brought into direct contact with a press
mold during press molding and contacts between the press
mold and thin portions of the surface protrusions have high
sliding resistance; hence, a sufficient improvement in press
formability cannot be achieved.
Patent Document 3 discloses a technique in which a
steel sheet is galvanized by hot dipping, alloyed by heating,
temper-tolled, contacted with an acidic solution with pH
buffering action, held for one to 30 seconds, and then
washed with water, whereby an oxide layer is formed on a
plating surface layer.
Patent Document 4 discloses a method for forming an
oxide layer on a flat surface portion of an unalloyed hot-
dip galvanized steel sheet. In the method, the hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet is temper-rolled, contacted with an
acidic solution with pH buffering action, held for a
predetermined time in such a state that a film of the acidic
solution is disposed on the steel sheet, washed with water,
and then dried.
A method disclosed in Patent Document 5 is effective in
uniformly forming an oxide layer on an electrogalvanized
steel sheet. In this method, the electrogalvanized steel
sheet is contacted with an acidic solution with pH buffering
action or an acidic electrogalvanizing bath, held for a
predetermined time, washed with water, and then dried.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 53-60332
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 2-190483
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 2003-306781
Patent Document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 2004-3004
Patent Document 5: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 2005-248262
In the case of using the techniques disclosed in Patent
Documents 3 to 5, good press formability can be achieved
under conventional production conditions. However, it has
become clear that good press formability cannot be achieved
in some cases because the holding time of steel sheets
contacted with acidic solutions cannot be sufficiently
secured under recent high-speed conditions and therefore
formed oxide layers are thin.
In order to solve such a problem, it is effective to
increase the distance from the contact with an acidic
solution to water washing. However, this needs to secure a
space therebetween, leading to spatial restriction.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, the present
invention has an object to provide a method capable of
stably producing a galvanized steel sheet having excellent
press formability in a reduced space under high-speed
conditions and an object to provide a galvanized steel sheet
having excellent press formability.
Disclosure of Invention
The inventors have made intensive investigations to
solve the above problems. As a result, the inventors have
obtained findings below.
It has turned out from that in the techniques disclosed
in Patent Documents 3 to 5, zinc ions dissolved from zinc
plating are used to produce zinc oxide on surfaces and
therefore the time taken to dissolve the zinc ions therefrom
elongates the time taken to form the oxide films. Thus, the
inventors have considered that if a solution used to form an
oxide film contains zinc ions, the time taken to dissolve
the zinc ions is not needed and therefore the time taken to
form the oxide film can be reduced. However, no oxide film
has been sufficiently formed from a solution containing zinc
ions. This is probably because although environments
suitable for producing zinc oxides are created in the
techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 3 to 5 since
hydrogen ions are reduced simultaneously with the
dissolution of zinc and therefore the pH in the vicinity of
a surface increases, the use of the zinc ion-containing
solution is not enough to increase the pH in the vicinity of
a surface and therefore any environment suitable for
producing zinc oxides is not created. Therefore, the
inventors have conceived that a galvanized steel sheet is
contacted with an aqueous solution containing zinc and is
further contacted with a weak alkali solution, whereby the
pH in the vicinity of a surface therefore is increased.
The present invention is based on the above finding.
The scope of the present invention is as described below.
(1) A method for producing a galvanized steel sheet
obtained by forming an oxide layer on a steel sheet includes
contacting the steel sheet with a zinc-containing aqueous
solution having a zinc ion concentration of 1 to 100 g/1,
contacting the steel sheet with an aqueous solution with a
pH of 6 to 14, washing the steel sheet with water, and then
drying the steel sheet.
(2) In the galvanized steel sheet-producing method
specified in Item (1), the zinc ion concentration is within
a range from 5 to 100 g/1 and the aqueous solution has a pH
of 7 to 13.
(3) In the galvanized steel sheet-producing method
specified in Item (1) or (2), the zinc-containing aqueous
solution has a pH of 1 to 6.
(4) A galvanized steel sheet produced by the galvanized
steel sheet-producing method specified in any one of Items
(1) to (3) includes an oxide layer which principally
contains zinc as a metal component, which is disposed on a
steel sheet, and which has an average thickness of 10 nm or
more.
The term "galvanized steel sheet" as used herein refers
to a plated steel sheet having a coating which is made of
zinc and which is disposed thereon and includes a hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a
GI steel sheet); a galvannealed steel sheet (hereinafter
simply referred to as a GA steel sheet); an
electrogalvanized steel sheet (hereinafter simply referred
to as an EG steel sheet); a zinc-deposited steel sheet; a
zinc alloy-plated steel sheet containing an alloy element
such as Fe, Al, Ni, Mg, or Co; and the like.
Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a coefficient-of-
friction tester.
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the
shape and size of a bead shown in Fig. 1.
Best Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
According to the present invention, a galvanized steel
sheet having excellent press formability and low sliding
resistance during press molding can be produced in a reduced
space under high-speed conditions.
In the course of producing a GA steel sheet, a steel
sheet is galvanized by hot dipping and is then alloyed by
heating. The GA steel sheet has surface irregularities due
to the difference in reactivity between steel sheet-plating
interfaces during alloying. The alloyed steel sheet is
usually temper-rolled for the purpose of material
achievement. A plating surface is smoothed by the contact
with rollers during temper-rolling and the irregularities
are reduced. Thus, the force necessary for a mold to crush
plating surface protrusions is reduced during press molding
and therefore sliding properties can be improved.
Since a flat surface portion of the GA steel sheet is
brought into direct contact with the mold during press
molding, the presence of a hard refractory substance capable
of preventing the adhesion to the mold is important in
improving slidability. In this viewpoint, the presence of
an oxide layer on a surface layer is effective in improving
slidability because the oxide layer prevents the adhesion to
the mold.
Since surface oxides are worn or are scraped during
actual press molding, the presence of a sufficiently thick
oxide layer is necessary when the contact area between a
mold and a workpiece is large. Although a plating surface
has an oxide layer formed by heating during alloying, most
of the oxide layer is broken during temper rolling because
of the contact with rollers and therefore a fresh surface is
exposed. Hence, in order to achieve good slidability, a
thick oxide layer needs to be formed prior to temper rolling.
Even if such a thick oxide layer is formed prior to temper
rolling in consideration of this, the breakage of the oxide
layer cannot be avoided during temper rolling and therefore
oxide layers are nonuniformly present on flat portions.
Hence, good slidability cannot be stably achieved.
Good slidability can be stably achieved by forming a
uniform oxide layer on the temper-rolled GA steel sheet,
particularly on a plating surface flat portion.
The following technique is effective in uniformly
forming a oxide layer on a zinc plating: a technique in
which a galvanized steel sheet is contacted with an acidic
solution with pH buffering action, held for a predetermined
time in such a state that a film of the acidic solution is
disposed on the steel sheet, washed with water, and then
dried. However, the formed oxide layer is thin because the
time for which the steel sheet is held subsequently to the
contact with the acidic solution is not sufficiently secured
under recent high-speed conditions as described above; hence,
good press formability cannot be achieved in some cases. It
is effective in solving this problem to increase the
distance from the contact with the acidic solution to water
washing. However, this needs to secure a space therebetween,
leading to spatial restriction.
In the present invention, it has been invented that a
galvanized steel sheet is contacted with an aqueous solution
containing zinc ions and is further contacted with a weak
alkali aqueous solution such that an increase in pH is
caused. In the present invention, it is an important
requirement and feature that the galvanized steel sheet is
contacted with the zinc ion-containing aqueous solution and
is further contacted with the weak alkali aqueous solution.
This allows an oxide layer sufficient to secure good press
formability to be formed in a reduced space without
suffering from spatial restriction.
A mechanism for forming the oxide layer is not clear
but is probably as described below. Since the galvanized
steel sheet is contacted with the zinc ion-containing
aqueous solution and is then contacted with the weak alkali
aqueous solution in such a state that the steel sheet is
covered with the zinc ion-containing aqueous solution, the
pH of the zinc ion-containing aqueous solution on the steel
sheet is increased to a pH level where oxides (hydroxides)
are stable. This probably results in the formation of the
oxide layer, which is stable, on the galvanized steel sheet.
In the present invention, the oxide layer is formed on
the galvanized steel sheet in such a manner that the steel
sheet is contacted with the zinc-containing aqueous solution,
contacted with the weak alkali aqueous solution, that is, an
aqueous solution with a pH of 6 to 14, washed with water,
and then dried.
In the present invention, the weak alkali aqueous
solution has a pH of 6 to 14. Zinc is an amphoteric metal
and therefore is soluble in extremely low and high pH
solutions. Thus, in order to form the oxide layer, the
aqueous solution on the galvanized steel sheet needs to be
rendered alkaline. The pH thereof is preferably 7 to 13 and
more preferably 9 to 11.
The concentration of zinc in the aqueous solution is
within a range from 1 to 100 g/1 in the form of zinc ions.
When the concentration of the zinc ions is less than 1 g/1,
a sufficient amount of zinc is not supplied and therefore
the oxide layer is unlikely to be formed. When the
concentration thereof is greater than 100 g/1, the
concentration of sulfuric acid in the oxide layer is high
and therefore it is concerned that the oxide layer is
dissolved in a subsequent chemical conversion step to
contaminate a conversion solution. The concentration is
preferably within a range from 5 to 100 g/1.
In order to form the oxide layer from a stable zinc
compound, the zinc ions are preferably used in the form of a
sulfate. In the case of using the sulfate, there is
probably an advantage that sulfate ions are captured in the
oxide layer to stabilize the oxide layer.
The pH of the zinc-containing aqueous solution is not
particularly limited and is preferably 1 to 6. When the pH
thereof is greater than 6, the zinc ions form precipitates
in the aqueous solution (the formation of a hydroxide) and
are not provided on the steel sheet in the form of an oxide.
When the pH thereof is less than 1, the dissolution of zinc
is promoted; hence, the mass per unit area of plating is
reduced and a plating film has cracks and therefore is
likely to be stripped off during machining. When the pH
thereof is high within the range of 1 to 6, the pH thereof
quickly increases to a level where oxides are stable upon
the contact with the weak alkali aqueous solution. This is
advantageous in forming the oxides. Therefore, the pH
thereof is preferably within the range of 4 to 6.
The solution disclosed in Patent Document 3 is
characterized by being acidic and by having a pH buffering
action. However, the zinc ion-containing aqueous solution
is used herein and therefore the oxide layer can be
sufficiently formed even if Zn is not sufficiently dissolved
by reducing the pH of the aqueous solution. It is
advantageous in forming the oxides that the pH thereof
quickly increases upon the contact with the weak alkali
aqueous solution. Therefore, any pH buffering action is not
necessarily essential.
In the present invention, the oxide layer, which has
excellent slidability, can be stably formed when an aqueous
solution contacted with the steel sheet contains zinc.
Therefore, even if impurities such as other metal ions and
inorganic compounds are accidentally or deliberately
contained in the aqueous solution, advantages of the present
invention are not reduced. N, P, B, Cl, Na, Mn, Ca, Mg, Ba,
Sr, and Si can be used as far as advantages of the present
invention are not reduced even if these elements are
captured in the oxide layer.
The oxide layer is formed on the galvanized steel sheet
as described above. The oxide layer contains zinc, which is
an essential component, and has a thickness of 10 nm or more.
The term "oxide layer" as used herein refers to a layer
made of an oxide and/or hydroxide principally containing
zinc, which is a metal component. The oxide layer, which
principally contains such a component as zinc, needs to have
an average thickness of 10 nm or more. When the thickness
of the oxide layer less than 10 nm, an effect of reducing
slidability is insufficient. When the thickness of the
oxide layer, which contains such an essential component as
Zn, is greater than 100 nm, a coating is broken during
pressing to cause an increase in slidability and weldability
is likely to be reduced. This is not preferred.
A process for contacting the galvanized steel sheet
with the zinc-containing aqueous solution is not
particularly limited. Examples of such a process include a
process for dipping a plated steel sheet in an aqueous
solution, a process for spraying an aqueous solution onto a
plated steel sheet, a process for applying an aqueous
solution to a plated steel sheet with a coating roller, and
the like. The aqueous solution is preferably finally
present on the steel sheet in the form of a thin liquid film.
This is because when the amount of the aqueous solution
present on the steel sheet is large, the pH of a plating
surface is unlikely to be uniformly and quickly increased by
alkali treatment in the next step. In this viewpoint, it is
preferable and effective that the amount of an acidic
solution film formed on a steel sheet is adjusted to 50 g/m2
or less. The amount of the solution film can be adjusted by
roll drawing, air wiping, or the like.
Examples of the galvanized steel sheet according to the
present invention include those produced by various methods
such as a hot-dip plating method, an electroplating method,
a vapor deposition plating method, and a spraying method.
Examples of a plating composition include pure Zn, Zn-Fe,
Zn-Al, Zn-Ni, and Zn-Mg. However, in an embodiment of the
present invention, the type of plating is not limited
because the dissolution of Zn occurs in the galvanized steel
sheet, which principally contains Zn, and the oxide layer
can be formed.
Examples
The present invention is further described below in
detail with reference to examples.
Plating films having a mass per unit area of 45 g/m2 and
an Al concentration of 0.20 mass percent were formed on
cold-rolled steel sheets with a thickness of 0.8 mm by hot
dip galvanizing and the cold-rolled steel sheets were then
temper-rolled,. whereby GI steel sheets were prepared.
Plating films having a mass per unit area of 45 g/m2, an Fe
concentration of ten mass percent, and an Al concentration
of 0.20 mass percent were formed on cold-rolled steel sheets
with.a thickness of 0.8 mm by an ordinary galvannealing
method and the cold-rolled steel sheets were then temper-
rolled, whereby GA steel sheets were prepared. EG steel
sheets including plating films having a mass per unit area
of 30 g/m2 were prepared, the plating films being formed on
cold-rolled steel sheets with a thickness of 0.8 mm by an
ordinary electrogalvanizing method.
The GI steel sheets, GA steel sheets, and EG steel
sheets obtained as described above were dipped in zinc
sulfate solutions with various concentrations shown in Table
1. After being taken out of the zinc sulfate solutions, the
steel sheets were dipped in aqueous sodium hydroxide
solutions adjusted in pH or the aqueous sodium hydroxide
solutions were sprayed onto the steel sheets. The time
taken to dip the steel sheets in the aqueous sodium
hydroxide solutions or taken to spray the aqueous sodium
hydroxide solutions onto the steel sheets was one second.
The steel sheets were washed with water within one second
after dipping or spraying was finished. Before being
treated with the aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions, the
steel sheets were tested in such a manner that the zinc
sulfate solutions remaining thereon were wiped with rubber
rollers.
For comparison, some of the steel sheets were subjected
to a test in which dipping in a zinc-free solution and
treatment with sodium hydroxide were performed, a test in
which treatment with the aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions
was not performed, a test in which dipping was not performed
after temper rolling, or a test in which the pH of a zinc
ion-containing aqueous solution was adjusted with sulfuric
acid.
The following test was performed as a conventional
technique: a test in which the steel sheets were dipped in
a 50°C aqueous solution which contained 30 g/1 sodium
acetate and which had a pH of 1.5 was performed, the amount
of the aqueous solution remaining thereon was adjusted to 10
g/m2 after dipping was finished, and the steel sheets were
held for one to 30 seconds.
For the steel sheets prepared as described above, oxide
layers of tempered portions and untempered portions of
plating surface layers were measured for thickness and also
measured for coefficient of friction for the purpose of
simply evaluating press formability. Measurement methods
were as described below.
(1) Press formability evaluation test (coefficient-of-
friction measurement test)
For the evaluation of press formability, each test
piece was measured for coefficient of friction as described
below.
Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a coefficient-of-
friction tester. As shown in this figure, a coefficient-of-
friction measurement specimen 1 taken from the test piece is
fixed on a stage 2 and the stage 2 is fixed on the upper
surface of a sliding table 3 which is horizontally movable.
The lower surface of the sliding table 3 overlies a sliding
table support 5 which includes rollers 4 in contact with the
lower surface thereof and which is vertically movable. The
sliding table support 5 is attached to a first load cell 7
for measuring the pressing load N applied to the
coefficient-of-friction measurement specimen 1 from a bead 6
by raising the sliding table support 5. The sliding table 3
has an end portion attached to a second load cell 8 for
measuring the sliding resistance force F required to
horizontally move the sliding table 3 along a rail 9 in such
a state that the pressing load is applied thereto. The
specimen 1 was coated with lubricating oil, that is, washing
oil, PRETON R352L, available from Sugimura Chemical
Industrial Co., Ltd. and was then tested.
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the
shape and size of the bead used. The bead 6 slides on the
specimen 1 in such a state that the lower surface of the
bead 6 is pressed against the specimen 1. The bead 6 has a
width of 10 mm and a length of 12 mm in the sliding
direction of the specimen and includes lower end portions,
spaced in the sliding direction thereof, having curved
surfaces with a curvature of 4.5 mm R as shown in Fig. 2.
The bead lower surface, against which the specimen is
pressed, has a flat area having a width of 10 mm and a
length of 3 mm in the sliding direction thereof. A
coefficient-of-friction measurement test was performed under
two conditions below.
(Condition 1)
The bead shown in Fig. 2 was used, the pressing load N
was 400 kgf, and the drawing rate of the specimen (the
horizontal movement speed of the sliding table 3) was 100
cm/min.
(Condition 2)
The bead shown in Fig. 2 was used, the pressing load N
was 400 kgf, and the drawing rate of the specimen (the
horizontal movement speed of the sliding table 3) was 20
cm/min.
The coefficient of friction between the test piece and
the bead was calculated from the equation \i = F / N.
(2) Measurement of thickness of oxide layer (oxide layer
thickness)
An Si wafer having an Si02 film, formed by thermal
oxidation, having a thickness of 96 nm was used as a
reference and an OKoc x-ray was measured with an X-ray
fluorescence spectrometer, whereby the average thickness of
the oxide layer was determined in terms of Si02. The
analysis area was 30 mm (p.
Test results obtained as described above are shown in
Table 1.
Issues below were clarified from the test results shown
in Table 1.
Nos. 10 to 13, 15 to 26, 28, 29, and 31 to 54 are
examples of the present invention that use aqueous solutions
having a zinc ion concentration within the scope of the
present invention. Oxide layers with a thickness of 10 nm
or more are formed and low coefficients of friction are
exhibited. A reduction in coefficient of friction is caused
independently of whether a process for contacting a weak
alkali aqueous solution is dipping or spraying.
Nos. 28, 29, 31, and 32 are examples of the present
invention that use sulfuric acid to reduce the pH of aqueous
solutions containing zinc ions. Sufficient oxide layers are
formed even at low pH and a reduction in coefficient of
friction is verified.
Nos. 21, 22, 41, 42, 51, and 52 are examples in which
aqueous solutions containing Zn ions are wiped with rubber
rollers prior to the contact with weak alkali aqueous
solutions. Oxide layers are formed by the contact with the
Zn ion-containing aqueous solutions independently of whether
roller wiping is performed or not, resulting in a reduction
in coefficient of friction.
No. 1 has a high coefficient of friction because No. 1
is treated with no solution and therefore an oxide layer
sufficient to enhance slidability is not formed in a flat
portion.
Nos. 2 to 6 are results due to conventional techniques
(comparative examples) in which holding was performed for
one to 30 seconds after dipping in a treatment solution is
finished. Oxide layers grow with the holding time, so that
oxide layers with a thickness of 20 nm or more are obtained
at a holding time of five seconds or more and oxide layers
with a thickness of 30 nm or more are obtained at a holding
time of 30 seconds or more.
Nos. 7 to 9 are comparative examples using a Zn-free
solution (a sodium acetate solution). Oxide layers have a
thickness of less than 10 nm, which is outside the scope of
the present invention, and have a high coefficient of
friction.
Nos. 14, 27, and 30 are comparative examples performing
no treatment with a weak alkali aqueous solution.
Sufficient oxide layers are not formed only by the contact
with aqueous solutions containing zinc ions and therefore no
advantage is obtained.
As is clear from the results of the examples, in Nos. 2
to 6 which are conventional techniques, oxide layers with a
thickness of 20 nm or more are not obtained unless holding
is performed five seconds or more and oxide layers with a
thickness of 30 nm or more are not obtained unless holding
is performed 30 seconds or more. In contrast, in the
examples of the present invention, the alkali solution-
dipping or -spraying time, which corresponds to the holding
time taken in each conventional technique, can be
significantly reduced to one second. In consideration of
production equipment, the present invention is applied to a
facility for continuously producing a steel strip at high
speed and the rate of producing the steel strip is about 180
m per minute in terms of the movement speed of the steel
strip. Therefore, in a conventional technique, the length
of a holding facility used subsequently to dipping in a
treatment solution needs to be 15 to 90 m; however, in the
present invention, only an alkali solution-dipping or -
spraying facility with a size of about 3 m at minimum is
necessary. This allows a compact facility to be used.
In the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 3 to 5,
in order to secure a sufficient holding time after the
contact with an acidic solution under high-speed production
conditions, the distance from the contact with an acidic
solution to water washing needs to be secured. The test
results suggest that good slidability can be achieved by
placing a sprayer only subsequently to the contact with an
acidic solution containing zinc ions and also suggest that
the present invention enables stable production in a reduced
space under high-speed conditions.
Industrial Applicability
A galvanized steel sheet according to the present
invention has excellent press formability and therefore can
be used for various applications such as automotive bodies.
A method for producing a galvanized steel sheet according to
the present invention is capable of forming an oxide layer
with a desired thickness in a short treatment time. This
allows a compact production facility to be used.
WE CLAIM:
1. A method for producing a galvanized steel sheet
obtained by forming an oxide layer on a steel sheet,
comprising contacting the steel sheet with a zinc-containing
aqueous solution having a zinc ion concentration of 1 to 100
g/1, contacting the steel sheet with an aqueous solution
with a pH of 6 to 14, washing the steel sheet with water,
and then drying the steel sheet.
2. The galvanized steel sheet-producing method according
to Claim 1, wherein the zinc ion concentration is within a
range from 5 to 100 g/1 and the aqueous solution has a pH of
7 to 13.
3. The galvanized steel sheet-producing method according
to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the zinc-containing aqueous
solution has a pH of 1 to 6.
4. A galvanized steel sheet produced by the galvanized
steel sheet-producing method according to any one of Claims
1 to 3, comprising an oxide layer which principally contains
zinc as a metal component, which is disposed on a steel
sheet, and which has an average thickness of 10 nm or more.

A method for producing a galvanized steel sheet
includes contacting a steel sheet with a zinc-containing
aqueous solution having a zinc ion concentration of 1 to 100
g/1, contacting the steel sheet with an aqueous solution
with a pH of 6 to 14, washing the steel sheet with water,
and then drying the steel sheet. An example of the zinc-
containing aqueous solution is a solution containing zinc
sulfate. According to the method, an oxide layer which has
an average thickness of 10 nm or more and which principally
contains zinc is formed on the steel sheet and the
galvanized steel sheet can be stably produced at high speed
in a reduced space so as to have excellent press formability.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=Z/yNaUuaNS1w4j8zy7byjA==&loc=wDBSZCsAt7zoiVrqcFJsRw==


Patent Number 279278
Indian Patent Application Number 2252/KOLNP/2011
PG Journal Number 03/2017
Publication Date 20-Jan-2017
Grant Date 17-Jan-2017
Date of Filing 30-May-2011
Name of Patentee JFE STEEL CORPORATION
Applicant Address 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 YOICHI MAKIMIZU C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
2 HIROSHI KAJIYAMA C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
3 SAKAE FUJITA C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
4 NAOTO YOSHIMI C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
5 MASAHIKO TADA C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
6 SHINJI OOTSUKA C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
7 HIROYUKI MASUOKA C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
8 KATSUYA HOSHINO C/O. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPT., JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME,CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN
PCT International Classification Number C23C 28/00
PCT International Application Number PCT/JP2009/058427
PCT International Filing date 2009-04-22
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2008-319132 2008-12-16 Japan