What is the galvanized steel?

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December 28 , 2016

Galvanized steel is steel that has gone through a chemical process to keep it from corroding. The steel gets coated in layers of zinc oxide because this protective metal does not get rusty as easily. The coating also gives the steel a more durable, hard to scratch finish that many people find attractive. For countless outdoor, marine, or industrial applications, galvanized steel is an essential fabrication component.

How It's Made

This process, known as hot-dipped galvanization, is one of the most common methods of making galvanized steel, but it's not the only one. Continuous sheet galvanizing runs a steel sheet or wire through molten zinc; it's also a form of hot-dipping, but leaves a thinner layer of the protective metal. Steel can also be painted or sprayed with zinc, although neither method creates the strong bond that hot-dipping does. Electrogalvanizing or electroplating uses electricity to create the bond between the two metals, which results in relatively thin layer of zinc.

The degree of galvanizing is usually described as the zinc's weight per surface area rather than its thickness, because this gives a better representation of how much metal has been applied. Steel often gets galvanized after individual parts have been formed, such as braces, nails, screws, beams, or studs. Continuous sheet galvanizing is often done before the metal is used to create products, however, and can withstand some bending and forming without flaking.

Benefits of Galvanization

Zinc protects steel in two ways. First, it is highly resistant to rust; iron, a major component of steel, reacts very easily with oxygen and moisture and will eventually disintegrate. The layer of zinc on the surface prevents those elements from reaching the steel so quickly. It also develops a patina — a layer of zinc oxides, salts, and other compounds — that offers further protection. Zinc is also extremely durable and scratch resistant, and has a satiny appearance that many find attractive.

The outer layer also protects the steel by acting as a "sacrificial layer." If, for some reason, rust does take hold on the surface of galvanized steel, the zinc will get corroded first. Even in areas where the surface is scratched or damaged, the surrounding zinc will still corrode before the steel does. The lifespan of galvanized steel varies, but industrial steel with a 3.9 mil (0.0039 inches or 0.09906 mm) thick coating can last more than 70 years without maintenance under average conditions.

Uses

Galvanized steel can be found almost everywhere. As for PV mounting system, hot-dipped galvanized ground screw is widely used for ground mounting system, Besides being inexpensive, durable and effective, this metal is also popular because it can be recycled and reused multiple times. The following chart shows the requirements for coating thickness of a hot dip galvanized article.( Not centrifuged)

Article Thickness (mm)	Local Thickness minimum (μm)	Average Coating Thickness Minimum (μm)	Average coating mass minimum (g/m2)
≤1.5	35	45	320
>1.5 ≤3	45	55	390
>3 ≤6	55	70	550
>6	70	85	600

Note: Material supplied by the GAA.

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