Applying Thermal Diffusion Galvanization on Wood Screws : Effects on Corrosion Resistance and Mechanical Properties

Abstract: Today, fastening articles such as screws and nails are treated with different surface coatings to withstand corrosion. The Swedish distributor ESSVE® Produkter AB uses a nano coating called CorrSeal™ for high corrosion protection of their screws. Thermal diffusion galvanization (TDG) is a more environmentally friendly method that the company seeks to use as replacement for the current treatment. This process of zinc diffusion is carried out at around 400 °C for several hours. The aim of the project is to investigate the possibility to surface treat a wood screw using TDG. The elevated temperature is suspected to decrease the hardness of the hardened screw. Therefore, a hardened and tempered screw without surface treatment is sent to a TDG facility. Industrial furnaces are used for similar heat treatments of screws with different hardenings. Both processes are analyzed by evaluating the results of hardness, bending, and microscopy. No immediate correlation between the TDG process and heat treatment in the industrial furnaces is found. Results show that the tested screws softened to a higher degree in the TDG process compared to treatment in the industrial furnaces. The mechanical properties of the tested screws, after the TDG process, are not acceptable. The zinc layer thickness on the screws is uneven yet believed to meet the required demands on corrosion resistance. Results also show that incorporating the TDG process in the tempering step is essential to meet the demands on hardness. Additionally, changing the composition of the material can lead to higher resistance against softening at the elevated temperatures. Further research is however needed to present a screw with sufficient corrosion resistance from the TDG process that will meet the demandson hardness and bending.