Hot dip galvanized steel sheet: Future issues and opportunities

Abstract

Hot dip galvanized steel sheet developments continue to proceed at among the fastest rates compared to other industrial sectors. Factors influencing this rapid rate of progress include the unceasing demands of the automotive sector for steels with ever-increasing capabilities for mechanical performance, appearance, improved corrosion resistance and ease of production and assembly. Other sectors including construction and appliance benefit from these developments. In this review paper, recent developments related to the galvanizability of new steel grades will be described. Then two issues related to sustainable steelmaking will be summarized: First, the increased use of recycled steel that is essential for sustainable steelmaking has been shown to influence steel microstructures and the steel surfaces presented for galvanizing. Second, recent developments in reduced-carbon processing of continuous galvanized sheet.