Structure for Use in a Corrosive Environment

Abstract

The invention pertains to a structure for use in a humid environment, comprising: a primary structural element, which primary structural element is made of metal and is provided with a coating, which coating has a composition comprising zinc in a content of at least 40 wt % based on the weight of the coating, a secondary structural element, which secondary structural element is made of metal and is provided with a coating, which coating is an alloy comprising aluminum and manganese, in which alloy the content of aluminum and manganese together is at least 90 wt % based on the weight of the coating, which alloy comprises more aluminum by weight than manganese, and wherein the primary structural element and the secondary structural element are in electrical contact with each other.

1 . A structure for use in a corrosive environment, comprising:
 a primary structural element, which primary structural element is made of metal and is provided with a coating, which coating has a composition comprising zinc in a content of at least 40 wt % based on the weight of the coating,   a secondary structural element, which secondary structural element is made of metal and is provided with a coating, which coating is an alloy comprising aluminum and manganese, in which alloy the content of aluminum and manganese together is at least 90 wt % based on the weight of the coating, which alloy comprises more aluminum than manganese by weight, and,   
       wherein the primary structural element and the secondary structural element are in electrical contact with each other. 
     
     
         2 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the metal of the primary and/or the secondary structural element is steel.   
     
     
         3 . The structure according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the metal of the primary structural element and/or the secondary structural element is steel with a carbon content of 0.5% or less.   
     
     
         4 . The structure according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the metal of the primary structural element and/or the secondary structural element is low alloy steel.   
     
     
         5 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the structure comprises multiple primary structural elements, at least two of said primary structural elements being connected to each other by the secondary structural element.   
     
     
         6 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the primary structural element is one of a beam, a profile, a strip, a rod, or a sheet.   
     
     
         7 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the secondary structural element is a support or a fastener.   
     
     
         8 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the structure further comprises a functional device, wherein the functional device is connected to the primary structural element by the secondary structural element.   
     
     
         9 . The structure according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the functional device is one of a solar panel, a switch box, a cable, a sensor, or an exhaust system.   
     
     
         10 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the aluminum content in the coating of the secondary structural element is at least about 75 wt % based on the weight of the coating.   
     
     
         11 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the aluminum content in the coating of the secondary structural element is at least about 75 wt % based on the weight of the coating, and at least about 80 wt % of the remainder of the coating is manganese.   
     
     
         12 . The structure according to  claim 10 , wherein the coating of the secondary structural element comprises about 81-83 wt % aluminum and about 19-17 wt % manganese, based on the weight of the coating, or wherein the coating of the secondary structural element comprises about 84-86 wt % aluminum and about 16-14 wt % manganese, based on the weight of the coating, or wherein the coating of the secondary structural element comprises about 94-96 wt % aluminum and about 6-4 wt % manganese, based on the weight of the coating. 
     
     
         13 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a thickness of the coating of the secondary structural element is between about 1.5 μm and about 100 μm.   
     
     
         14 . The structure according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the coating of the primary structural element is a zinc coating having at least about 90 wt % of pure zinc, a zinc-iron alloy coating, a zinc-aluminum alloy coating, a zinc-magnesium alloy coating, an aluminum-zinc alloy coating.   
     
     
         15 . The structure according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the coating of the primary structural element is a hot-dip coating.   
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing a structure, which method comprises:
 providing a first metal substrate,   providing the first metal substrate with a coating having a composition comprising zinc in a content of at least 40 wt % based on the weight of the coating, thereby obtaining a primary structural element,   providing a second metal substrate,   arranging the second metal substrate in a bath of ionic liquid,   etching the second metal substrate,   providing a source of aluminum and manganese,   electrochemically depositing a coating from the ionic liquid onto the second metal substrate, which coating is an alloy comprising aluminum and manganese, in which alloy the content of aluminum and manganese together is at least 90 wt % based on the weight of the coating, which alloy comprises more aluminum than manganese by weight, thereby obtaining a secondary structural element, and   connecting the primary structural element and the secondary structural element to each other such that the primary structural element and the secondary structural element are in electrical contact with each other.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the etching of the second metal substrate roughens a surface of the second metal substrate and/or removes oxides and/or contaminants from the surface of the second substrate.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the ionic liquid is a combination of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazoliumchloride (EMIMCl) and aluminum chloride (AlCl 3 ), and further comprises MnCl 2 .   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the etching of the second metal substrate and the electrochemical deposition of the coating of an alloy comprising aluminum and manganese are carried out in a same bath of ionic liquid.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the etching of the second metal substrate is electrochemical etching.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 ,
 wherein the electrochemical etching of the second metal substrate is carried out at a voltage between about 0.5 V and about 1.5 V versus an aluminum electrode.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the electrochemical deposition of the coating, which is the alloy comprising aluminum and manganese, has a process parameter which is the current density, which current density is between about 2 A/dm 2  and about 7 A/dm 2 .   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein prior to the etching of the second metal substrate, the second metal substrate is cleaned and/or degreased.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the coating of the primary structural element is applied in at least one of the following ways:
 by immersing the first metal substrate in a molten bath containing a zinc content of at least about 99 wt %, 
 by applying a zinc coating by immersing the first metal substrate in a molten bath containing a zinc content of at least about 99 wt % and a subsequent annealing which produces an iron-zinc coating with an iron content of normally about 8 wt % to about 12 wt % based on the weight of the coating, 
 by immersing the first metal substrate in a molten bath which is composed of zinc and approximately 5 wt % aluminum and small amounts of mischmetal, 
 by passing the first metal substrate through a molten zinc bath with aluminum and magnesium contents in sum of about 1.5 wt % to about 8 wt %, 
 by immersing the first metal substrate in a molten bath which is composed of about 55 wt % aluminum, about 1.6 wt % silicon and the balance zinc. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein a material of the first metal substrate and/or the second metal substrate is steel with a carbon content of 0.5% or less.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein a material of the first metal substrate and/or the second metal substrate is low alloy steel.   
     
     
         27 . A mounting system for a solar panel, which mounting system comprises at least one structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         28 . A vehicle comprising at least one structure according to  claim 1 .