Due to steel’s lack of inherent corrosion resistance, it is necessary for it to be treated before it is used in an industrial setting. A common pre-treatment in the automotive industry is the addition of a zinc phosphate layer, which doubles as a surface to which paint will easily adhere. The zinc phosphate layer is primarily comprised of the mineral phosphophyllite, Zn2Fe(PO4)3 ● 4H2O. A free synthesis of phosphophyllite utilizes a [M2+] = 0.50 M solution of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 and a 0.50 M solution of (NH4)2HPO4. I have successfully synthesized phosphophyllite using a 60-40 ratio of Zn2+ to Fe2+ and explored the Zn/Fe ratio at which hopeite, Zn3(PO4)3 ● 4H2O appears in addition to the phosphophyllite. The presences of phosphophyllite and hopeite were confirmed with powder X-ray diffraction. In addition, I looked into the differences between the crystal structures of the synthesized phosphophyllite and the coating formed on steel.

Effects of the iron-zinc ratio on the formation of a phosphophyllite coating on steel

251st National Meeting (2016)

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