Development of new surface treatments for automotive utilising chemcoater (Research area - Materials engineering (Metals/alloys/coatings))

汽车钢产品由塔塔钢铁公司在英国生产，并在全球销售。典型的产品由退火钢带和镀锌层组成。随后的有机和无机涂层可以在退火或镀锌后使用称为化学涂层机的涂层系统施加到钢上。这些产品的应用是为了增加钢材的价值或使产品对客户更具吸引力。可以应用的涂层可能包括防止腐蚀、改善可焊性和润滑性、增强表面钝化或减少磨损的涂层，最终目的是为钢产品增加价值。该项目旨在通过探索可以使用化学涂布机系统和沉积方法应用于钢的新型涂层来扩展这一点。项目目标：该项目的目标涉及开发新的表面处理，可以使用塔塔钢铁公司的镀锌钢上的化学涂层机（辊涂）系统进行沉积。目标包括：- 研究沉积的辊涂方法，以解锁额外的功能-研究可应用于镀锌钢的潜在涂层，以增加功能并增加其对客户的吸引力。分析生产线/涂层参数，使其更有效，例如减少涂层过程中的能源消耗，同时仍保持必要的功能。- 识别当前和新涂层的性能。这些涂层可能包括防止腐蚀、改善可焊性、改善润滑性、钝化表面或减少表面磨损的涂层。在适用的情况下降低程序/流程成本，从而降低公司成本/处理时间。- 试验新的沉积方法，如喷墨和狭缝模头印刷，可用于使用增强的化学涂布机系统在钢表面上提供功能性涂层。

Automotive steel products are manufacture in the UK by Tata Steel and sold globally. A typical product consists of an annealed steel strip with an applied zinc coating. Subsequent organic and inorganic coatings can be applied to the steel following annealing or galvanising using a coating system known as the chemcoater. These products are applied in order to add value to the steel or make the product more attractive to the customer. Coatings that can be applied might include those that prevent corrosion, improve weldability and lubricity, enhance surface passivation or reduce galling with the ultimate aim of adding value to the steel product. This project seeks to expand on this by exploring both novel coatings that can be applied to the steel using the chemcoater system and the methods of deposition. Project aims:The aims of the project relate to developing new surface treatments that can be deposited using the chemcoater (roller coating) system on galvanised steel at Tata Steel. Aims include: - Investigating the roller coating method of deposition in order to unlock additional functionalities- Investigating potential coatings that can be applied to galvanised steel to add functionality and increase its appeal to customers.- Analysing line/coating parameters to make them more effective, for example reducing energy expenditure involved with coating procedure, whilst still maintaining necessary functionality. - Identifying the performance of current and new coatings. These coatings might include those that prevent corrosion, improve weldability, improve lubricity, passivate the surface or reduce galling on the surface.- Reduce procedure/process costs where applicable, subsequently reducing company costs/processing times. - Trial new deposition methods such as inkjet and slot-die printing that can be used to deliver functional coatings onto the steel surface using an enhanced chemcoater system.