Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
Zn film electrodeposited on a steel sheet is of hexagonal n-phase and comprises the packets of hexagonal platelets. The addition of either Fe or Ni ions to the plating solution produces fine bcc r- or Y-particles within the η-phase deposits and changes the n-phase morphology into more massive form. Further increase of Fe or Ni content yields large amounts of r- or Y-particles which can no more be absorbed within η-phase and the granular structure forms. Such morphological change can be explained partly in terms of the deposit/substrate and the deposit/deposit interface structures.