What is Reactive Steel?
Reactive steel is a term used to describe the reaction between the steel and the zinc. If the presence of silicon and / or phosphorus is above certain levels the zinc coating becomes abnormally thick and grayed out. If the reactivity is severe enough actual flaking of the zinc coating may also occur. Many elements have been experimented with over the years to determine if their presence in the galvanizing bath would influence the reactivity of steel. The most influential of these is nickel. At Red River Galvanizing a nickel bath is used and maintained at the proper levels through monthly testing and analysis. In general, a silicon equivalent value can be looked at and plotted onto a graph detailing the effects of silicon and phosphorus on galvanizing. The silicon equivalent value can be calculated according to: Sieq = (Si (wt%) + 2.5P (wt%)) where Si is silicone and P is phosphorus. This is called the “Sandelin Effect” and is represented graphically below.
