Micro-Scale Abrasive Wear Resistance of a Nanoceramic Sealant Applied on Galvanized Low Carbon Steel

The idea for this work came from a market need to obtain coatings or sealants that would extend the useful life of metallic materials in applications that involve exposure to corrosive environments. The main objective of the nanoceramic sealant studied in this work is to extend the life of metallic fasteners. To evaluate the performance of the sealant from other perspectives, microstructural analysis, adhesion test, micro-scale abrasive wear tests and corrosion test were carried out. These tests were performed on samples coated only with white zinc, which is commonly used in the fastener industry, and on samples coated with white zinc followed by application of the nanoceramic sealant. The application of the nanoceramic sealant contributed to the improvement of corrosion resistance and reduction of the corrosion rate. The corrosion rate of the sample coated with the sealant reduced by 62.2% when compared to the sample that only went through the white zinc coating process. The coating showed low adhesion to the substrate with the presence of severe delamination and microcracks. This feature contributed to the low wear resistance presented by the coating under the conditions studied in this work. Less attention, compared to studies involving corrosion resistance, has been given to wear resistance in the fastener industry. The results obtained in this paper show that the study of tribological behavior is an important factor in increasing the efficiency of fasteners applied in harsh environments.