Metal-coated steel strip

Abstract

A steel strip having a coating of a metal alloy on at least one surface of the strip is disclosed. The metal alloy contains aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium as the major elements. The metal alloy also contains strontium and/or calcium and unavoidable impurities and optionally other elements that are present as deliberate alloying elements. The concentration of magnesium is at least 1 wt. % and the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium is greater than 50 ppm.

1 . A steel strip having a coating of a metal alloy on at least one surface of the strip, wherein the metal alloy contains aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium as the major elements and also contains strontium and/or calcium and unavoidable impurities and optionally other elements that are present as deliberate alloying elements, and wherein the concentration of aluminium is 40 to 60 wt. %, the concentration of zinc is 40 to 60 wt. %, the concentration of silicon is 0.3 to 3 wt. %, the concentration of magnesium is at least 1 wt. % and the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is greater than 50 ppm. 
     
     
         2 . The steel strip defined in  claim 1  wherein the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is less than 0.2 wt. %. 
     
     
         3 . The steel strip defined in  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is less than 150 ppm. 
     
     
         4 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is less than 100 ppm. 
     
     
         5 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium concentration is less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
         6 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium concentration is less than 5 wt. %. 
     
     
         7 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium concentration is less than 3 wt. %. 
     
     
         8 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium concentration is at least 0.5 wt. %. 
     
     
         9 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium concentration is at least 1 wt. % and less than 5 wt. %. 
     
     
         10 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium concentration is between 1.5 wt. % and 3 wt. %. 
     
     
         11 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium alloy is a titanium diboride-modified alloy as defined herein. 
     
     
         12 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium alloy contains any one or more of indium, tin, beryllium, titanium, copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese. 
     
     
         13 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium alloy does not contain vanadium and/or chromium as deliberate alloy elements—as opposed to being present in trace amounts for example due to contamination in the molten bath. 
     
     
         14 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the concentration of iron is less than 1 wt. %. 
     
     
         15 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the coating has small spangles as defined herein. 
     
     
         16 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the strip is coated on one or both sides thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the coating has a coating mass of less than 80 g/m 2  of metal alloy on the or each side of the strip. 
     
     
         18 . The steel strip defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the coating has an average coating thickness of less than 20 micrometers on the or each side of the strip. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a coating of a metal alloy on at least one surface of a steel strip, wherein the metal alloy contains aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium as the major elements and also contains strontium and/or calcium and unavoidable impurities and optionally other elements that are present as deliberate alloying elements, and wherein the concentration of aluminium is 40 to 60 wt. %, the concentration of zinc is 40 to 60 wt. %, the concentration of silicon is 0.3 to 3 wt. %, the concentration of magnesium is at least 0.5 wt. % and the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is greater than 50 ppm, which method includes the steps of successively passing the steel strip through a heat treatment furnace and a molten bath that contains the metal alloy; and:
 (a) heat treating the steel strip in the heat treatment furnace; and   (b) hot-dip coating the strip in the molten bath and forming a coating of the metal alloy on the steel strip.   
     
     
         20 . The method defined in  claim 19  wherein the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together in the metal alloy is less than 0.2 wt. %. 
     
     
         21 . The method defined in  claim 19  or  claim 20  wherein the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is less than 150 ppm. 
     
     
         22 . The method defined in any one of  claims 19  to  21  wherein the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is less than 100 ppm. 
     
     
         23 . The method defined in any one of  claims 19  to  22  wherein step (b) includes forming the coating with a coating mass of less than 80 g/m 2  of metallic coating on the or each side of the strip. 
     
     
         24 . The method defined in any one of  claims 19  to  23  wherein step (b) includes forming the coating with an average coating thickness of less than 20 micrometers on the or each side of the strip. 
     
     
         25 . The method defined in any one of  claims 19  to  23  wherein step (b) includes forming the coating with small spangles as defined herein. 
     
     
         26 . Cold formed products made from the metal alloy coated steel strip defined in any one of  claims 1  to  18 . 
     
     
         27 . A steel strip having a coating of a metal alloy on at least one surface of the strip, wherein the metal alloy contains aluminium, zinc, silicon, and magnesium as the major elements and also contains strontium and/or calcium and unavoidable impurities and optionally other elements that are present as deliberate alloying elements, and wherein the concentration of aluminium is 40 to 60 wt. %, the concentration of zinc is 40 to 60 wt. %, the concentration of silicon is 0.3 to 3 wt. %, the concentration of magnesium is at least 1 wt. % and less than 3 wt. % and the concentration of (i) strontium or (ii) calcium or (iii) strontium and calcium together is greater than 50 ppm and less than 0.2 wt. %.