Corrosion-resistant coated metal and method for making the same

Abstract

A corrosion-resistant coated brass metal coated with a corrosion resistant alloy. The corrosion resistant alloy is a tin metal alloy or a tin and zinc metal alloy. The corrosion resistant metal alloy may also include one or more metal additives to improve the coating process and/or to alter the properties of the tin or tin and zinc metal alloy.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of producing a corrosion-resistant metal strip comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a metal strip from a roll of strip;    (b) coating said metal strip with a corrosion resistant metal alloy, said corrosion resistant metal alloy comprising tin, zinc and a metal additive, said tin content plus said zinc content constituting a majority of the metal alloy, said metal alloy including at least 15 weight percent tin and at least 10 weight percent zinc, said metal additive including an additive selected from the group consisting of at least an effective amount of stabilizer to inhibit crystallization of the tin in said metal alloy, at least an effective amount of a coloring agent to reduce the reflectivity of the metal alloy, at least an effective amount of a corrosion-resistant agent to enhance the corrosion resistant properties of the metal alloy, and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , including the step of forming a heat created intermetallic layer between the surface of said metal strip and said metal alloy, said heat created intermetallic layer having a thickness of up to about 10 microns.  
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 2 , including the step of introducing heat to said metal alloy to form said heat created intermetallic layer, said step of introducing heat selected from the group consisting of exposing molten metal alloy to said metal strip, flow heating said metal alloy, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Tin 
                   15-90 
                 
                     
                   Zinc 
                   10-85 
                 
                     
                   Aluminum 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Antimony 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Bismuth 
                     0-1.7 
                 
                     
                   Copper 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Iron 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                   Magnesium 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Nickel 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Titanium 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Tin 
                   15-90 
                 
                     
                   Zinc 
                   10-85 
                 
                     
                   Aluminum 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Antimony 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Bismuth 
                     0-1.7 
                 
                     
                   Copper 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Iron 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                   Lead 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Magnesium 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Nickel 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Titanium 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Tin 
                   15-90 
                 
                     
                   Zinc 
                   10-85 
                 
                     
                   Aluminum 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Antimony 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Bismuth 
                     0-1.7 
                 
                     
                   Boron 
                     0-0.01 
                 
                     
                   Cadmium 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                   Carbon 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Chromium 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Copper 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Iron 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                   Lead 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Magnesium 
                     0-0.4 
                 
                     
                   Manganese 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                   Molybdenum 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                   Nickel 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Silicon 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Titanium 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                   Vanadium 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Tin 
                   20-90 
                 
                     
                   Zinc 
                   10-80 
                 
                     
                   Aluminum 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Antimony 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Bismuth 
                     0-1.5 
                 
                     
                   Boron 
                     0-0.01 
                 
                     
                   Cadmium 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                   Carbon 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Chromium 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Copper 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Iron 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                   Lead 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Magnesium 
                     0-0.4 
                 
                     
                   Manganese 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                   Molybdenum 
                     0-0.1 
                 
                     
                   Nickel 
                   0-1 
                 
                     
                   Silicon 
                     0-0.5 
                 
                     
                   Titanium 
                     0-0.15 
                 
                     
                   Vanadium 
                     0-0.1