{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,16]],"date-time":"2026-06-16T10:52:21Z","timestamp":1781607141817,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,28]],"date-time":"2023-11-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1701129600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Science Foundation of China","award":["52171003"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["52171003"]}]},{"name":"Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu higher education institutions","award":["52171003"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["52171003"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Materials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hot-dip aluminum alloy is widely used in the engineering fields. However, during the aluminum plating process, Fe inevitably enters and reaches a saturation state, which has a significant impact on the corrosion resistance and microstructure of the coating. Currently, adding Si during the hot-dip aluminum process can effectively improve the quality of the coating and inhibit the Fe-Al reaction. To understand the effect of Si content on the microstructure and electrochemical performance of Al-xSi-3.5Fe coating alloys, the microstructure and post-corrosion morphology of the alloys were analyzed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and XRD (X-ray Diffraction). Through electrochemical tests and complete immersion corrosion experiments, the corrosion resistance of the coating alloys in 3.5 wt.% NaCl was tested and analyzed. The results show that the Al-3.5Fe coating alloy mainly comprises \u03b1-Al, Al3Fe, and Al6Fe. With the increase in Si addition, the iron-rich phase changes from Al3Fe and Al6Fe to Al8Fe2Si. When the Si content reaches 4 wt.%, the iron-rich phase is Al9Fe2Si2, and the excess Si forms the eutectic Si phase with the aluminum matrix. Through SKPFM (Scanning Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy) testing, it was determined that the electrode potentials of the alloy phases Al3Fe, Al6Fe, Al8Fe2Si, Al9Fe2Si2, and eutectic Si phase were higher than that of \u03b1-Al, acting as cathode phases to the micro-galvanic cell with the aluminum matrix, and the corrosion form of alloys was mainly galvanic corrosion. With the addition of silicon, the electrode potential of the alloy increased first and then decreased, and the corrosion resistance results were synchronous with it. When the Si content is 10 wt.%, the alloy has the lowest electrode potential and the highest electrochemical activity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ma16237407","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,28]],"date-time":"2023-11-28T11:43:16Z","timestamp":1701171796000},"page":"7407","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Effect of Si Content on Microstructures and Electrochemical Properties of Al-xSi-3.5Fe Coating Alloy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Yufeng","family":"Wu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ying","family":"Shen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qi","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuhang","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dongming","family":"Shi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9460-2261","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ya","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8955-9959","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xuping","family":"Su","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"El-Sherik, A.M. (2017). Trends in Oil and Gas Corrosion Research and Technologies, Woodhead Publishing."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"953","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2009.01.083","article-title":"Cathodic protection by zinc sacrificial anodes: Impact on marine sediment metallic contamination","volume":"167","author":"Rousseau","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Uhlig, H.H., and Revie, R.W. (1985). Corrosion and Corrosion Control, John Wiley and Sons. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"156349","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jallcom.2020.156349","article-title":"Microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of the Al\u2013Si coating on press hardened 22MnB5 steel","volume":"846","author":"Cho","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Alloys Compd."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2014.06.031","article-title":"Functional and smart coatings for corrosion protection: A review of recent advances","volume":"258","author":"Montemor","year":"2014","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109673","DOI":"10.1016\/j.corsci.2021.109673","article-title":"Influence of austenitisation temperatures during hot stamping on the local electrochemical behaviour of 22MnB5 steel coated with hot-dip Al-Si","volume":"190","author":"Couto","year":"2021","journal-title":"Corros. Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141387","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msea.2021.141387","article-title":"Effect of layer architecture on the mechanical behavior of accumulative roll bonded interstitial free steel\/aluminum composites","volume":"818","author":"Jawad","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mater. Sci. Eng. A"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109339","DOI":"10.1016\/j.corsci.2021.109339","article-title":"Corrosion behavior of Al-Si-Mg coated hot-press-forming steel","volume":"183","author":"Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"Corros. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123115","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2021.123115","article-title":"Anti-corrosion coatings for protection of steel railway structures exposed to atmospheric environments: A review","volume":"288","author":"Lazorenko","year":"2021","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matchar.2017.12.024","article-title":"Microstructural evolution and growth behavior of intermetallic compounds at the liquid Al\/solid Fe interface by synchrotron X-ray radiography","volume":"136","author":"Ding","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mater. Charact."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1407","DOI":"10.1016\/j.promfg.2018.07.341","article-title":"DFT calculations based insight into bonding character and strength of Fe2Al5 and Fe4Al13 intermetallics at Al-Fe joints","volume":"15","author":"Khalid","year":"2018","journal-title":"Procedia Manuf."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rinp.2018.11.076","article-title":"Interaction and intermetallic phase formation between aluminum and stainless steel","volume":"12","author":"Liu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Results Phys."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126783","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2020.126783","article-title":"Microstructure evolution and hardness of hot-dip aluminized coating on pure iron and EUROFER 97 steel: Effect of substrate chemistry and heat treatment","volume":"409","author":"Kishore","year":"2021","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"483","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2018.10.035","article-title":"Effect of silicon and manganese on the kinetics and morphology of the intermetallic layer growth during hot-dip aluminizing","volume":"357","author":"Azimaee","year":"2019","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msea.2006.01.085","article-title":"Formation of intermetallic phases on 55wt.%Al\u2013Zn\u2013Si hot dip strip","volume":"420","author":"Phelan","year":"2006","journal-title":"Mater. Sci. Eng. A"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1032","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00274898","article-title":"On the technological properties of steel strips aluminized in Al-Si baths","volume":"15","author":"Shady","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Mater. Sci. Lett."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1586","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actamat.2010.11.023","article-title":"On the formation and growth of intermetallic phases during interdiffusion between low-carbon steel and aluminum alloys","volume":"59","author":"Springer","year":"2011","journal-title":"Acta Mater."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4788","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmrt.2020.02.104","article-title":"Studies on the characterization and morphological features of the coating on interstitial free steel dipped in molten Al-Si-Mg alloy at 800 \u00b0C","volume":"9","author":"Dey","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Mater. Res. Technol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2016.07.081","article-title":"Effect of silicon on the reaction between solid iron and liquid Zn-22.3wt.% Al bath","volume":"305","author":"Wei","year":"2016","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4329","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2012.01.048","article-title":"Synergistic effect of Cu and Si on hot-dipping galvalume coating","volume":"206","author":"Peng","year":"2012","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmst.2020.02.040","article-title":"The characterization of Fe-rich phases in a high-pressure die-cast hypoeutectic aluminum-silicon alloy","volume":"51","author":"Jiao","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Mater. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matchar.2015.12.006","article-title":"3D study of intermetallics and their effect on the corrosion morphology of rheocast aluminium alloy","volume":"112","author":"Mingo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mater. Charact."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"427","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2019.07.047","article-title":"Microstructural investigation and corrosion behavior of hot-dipped Al-Si-Mg-Cu alloy coated steel","volume":"375","author":"Pradhan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, J.D., Chen, F.M., Wang, Y.Z., Zhang, Y.L., Zhang, R., Luo, Y., He, Y.Q., Sun, K., and Zuo, L. (2023). Effect of Fe and Ther-mal Exposure on Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Cu-Ni-Mg-Fe Alloy. Crystals, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/cryst13070993"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Piotr, M. (2023). Distribution and Morphology of \u03b1-Al, Si and Fe-Rich Phases in Al-Si-Fe Alloys under an Electromagnetic Field. Materials, 16.","DOI":"10.3390\/ma16093304"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"021503","DOI":"10.1149\/1945-7111\/acb6ba","article-title":"Change in Oxygen Reduction Reactivity of Intermetallics: A Mechanism of the Difference in Trenching around Al-Fe and Al-Fe-Si Particles on AA1050 in NaCl","volume":"170","author":"Kakinuma","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Electrochem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"528","DOI":"10.1007\/s11669-004-0066-0","article-title":"Solid-liquid phase equilibria in the Al-Fe-Si system at 727 \u00b0C","volume":"25","author":"Pontevichi","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Phase Equilib. Diffus."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"753","DOI":"10.1016\/j.intermet.2009.03.003","article-title":"Investigation of intermetallics in hypoeutectic Al\u2013Fe alloys by dissolution of the Al matrix","volume":"17","author":"Goulart","year":"2009","journal-title":"Intermetallics"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107505","DOI":"10.1016\/j.intermet.2022.107505","article-title":"Developing Al\u2013Fe\u2013Si alloys with high thermal stability through tuning Fe, Si contents and cooling rates","volume":"144","author":"Lan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Intermetallics"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.5599\/jese.1373","article-title":"Electrochemical corrosion performance of Si-doped Al-based automotive alloy in 0.1M NaCl solution","volume":"12","author":"Nur","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Electrochem. Sci. Eng."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"5418","article-title":"Aqueous corrosion of aluminum-transition metal alloys composed of structurally complex phases: A review","volume":"18","author":"Libor","year":"2021","journal-title":"Materials"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, J.C., and Dang, J. (2017). A Summary of Corrosion Properties of Al-Rich Solid Solution and Secondary Phase Particles in Al Alloys. Metals, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/met7030084"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27960","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2023.03.469","article-title":"Effect of Sn and Zn alloying with Al on its electrochemical performance in an alkaline media containing CO2 for Al-air batteries application","volume":"48","author":"Elrouby","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2025","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jma.2022.07.012","article-title":"Surface modification of magnesium alloys using thermal and solid-state cold spray processes: Challenges and latest progresses","volume":"10","author":"Daroonparvar","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Magnes. Alloys"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vacuum.2015.04.039","article-title":"Corrosion and mechanical performance of double-layered nano-Al\/PCL coating on Mg-Ca-Bi alloy","volume":"119","author":"Hamzah","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vacuum"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.corsci.2018.04.010","article-title":"Effect of surface abrasion on pitting corrosion of Al-Li alloy","volume":"138","author":"Liu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Corros. Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109662","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matdes.2021.109662","article-title":"Effects of re-solution and re-aging treatment on mechanical property, corrosion resistance and electrochemical behavior of 2196 Al-Cu-Li alloy","volume":"204","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mater. Des."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6645","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00356274","article-title":"Equilibrium and non-equilibrium intermetallic phases in Al-Fe and Al-Fe-Si alloys","volume":"31","author":"Griger","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Mater. Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jallcom.2013.04.139","article-title":"Evolution of Fe based intermetallic phases in Al\u2013Si hypoeutectic casting alloys: Influence of the Si and Fe concentrations, and solidification rate","volume":"577","author":"Gorny","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Alloys Compd."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"116127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jelechem.2022.116127","article-title":"The role of hot extrusion in improving electrochemical properties of low-cost commercial Al alloy as anode for Al-air battery","volume":"909","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Electroanal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmrt.2022.05.066","article-title":"The corrosion behavior of the 6061 Al alloy in a simulated Nansha marine atmosphere","volume":"19","author":"Peng","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Mater. Res. Technol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"342","DOI":"10.1016\/j.corsci.2013.04.023","article-title":"Pitting corrosion of rheocast A356 aluminium alloy in 3.5wt.% NaCl solution","volume":"73","author":"Arrabal","year":"2013","journal-title":"Corros. Sci."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xu, Y., Ding, D., Yang, X., Zhang, W., Gao, Y., Wu, Z., Chen, G., Chen, R., Huang, Y., and Tang, J. (2019). Effect of Si Addition on Mechanical and Electrochemical Properties of Al-Fe-Cu-La Alloy for Current Collector of Lithium Battery. Metals, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/met9101072"}],"container-title":["Materials"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1944\/16\/23\/7407\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T21:32:51Z","timestamp":1760131971000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1944\/16\/23\/7407"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,28]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"23","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12]]}},"alternative-id":["ma16237407"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ma16237407","relation":{},"ISSN":["1996-1944"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1996-1944","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,28]]}}}