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ALCOAT PROJECT

Further information

News and Events

• September 2023
  The kick-off meeting was organized at UCT in Prague. A detail work plan has been prepared and approved.
• November 2023
  The first experimental alloys were produced at UCT and provided to project partners for investigation.
• January 2024
  More than 60 additional Al-Fe-X-Y alloys have been casted. Electrochemical ZRA tests and microstructure assessment is in progress. 
  Coding commenced on the first Galvanic Model.
  Scrap suppliers have been contacted regarding the availability of aluminum scrap within European markets.
• February 2024
  All prepared alloys have been characterized by XRF and XRD. The SEM/EDS investigation is in progress. Minor phases have been described by FE-TEM.  Electrochemical properties of the alloys are studied.
  First hot-dipped Al-Fe coated steel samples have been produced and characterized.
• March 2024
  All prepared model alloys have been exposed to a 2-week cyclic accelerated corrosion test. The effect of alloying on the corrosion performance was dramatic. Some samples were almost free of corrosion, others largerly degraded.
• April 2024
  The second project meeting took place online. It was decided to prepare additional alloys with a higher content of alloying elements, heat treat and characterize selected alloys, and prepare pure intermetallic phases (FeAl₆, Fe₄Al₁₃, Bi, Sn-Bi, Sn-Fe) and matrix phases (AlZn10, AlZn25).
• July 2024
  The first stage of preparation and characterization of Al-Fe-X(-Y) alloys was concluded and a report issued.
• September 2024
  Stafeno Piccardo from the modelling team of RMIT presented a preliminary corrosion model for ALCOAT Al-rich coatings at the EUROCORR conference in Paris. 
  The second in-person meeting was held at RI.SE in Stockholm. Compositions for Stage 2 have been selected based on inputs from all teams. Marek Vostřák (VZU) and Soheil Sabooni (Tata Steel) presented a report on aluminium scrap availability and supply chain structure, which will serve as a basis for setting up the ALCOAT circularity strategy. Salil Sainis (RI.SE) will perform supplementary Atomic Emission Spectroelectrochemistry (AESE) measurements on selected alloys to get information on dissolution of specific elements.
  
• October 2024
  The final version of the report on aluminium scrap availability and supply chain structure has been issued and submitted to the European Commission.
• January 2025
  Additional alloys with improved composition as well as model phases identified in the alloys have been cast and their characterization started. First Al-Fe-Zn coatings were applied using a hot-dip simulator to study the effect of the cooling rate and dew point on the coatability and microstructure of the coatings. Material for application of the first thermal spray coating was delivered from a third party.
• February 2025 
  Al-Fe based thermal spray coating has been successfully applied on steel substrate and its microstructure characterized.
  Stefano Piccardo (RMIT) is preparing a hybrid seminar at RMIT in Melbourne entitled Enhancing the longevity of steel structures using recycled Al alloy coatings via multiscale modelling. Details about the event can be found at LinkedIn.
• March 2025 
  A meeting was organized to review the latest results and discuss what compositions should be applied as coatings. It was decided that a small series of additional alloys needs to be produced and some more data obtained before the decision can be made. To assess the effect of oxide film stability on the protection ability of Al-Fe-(X)-(Y) coatings, more Mott-Schottky measurements were requested by the modelling team.
• April 2025 
  The External Advisory Board was formed. We are happy to have representatives of important end-users in the Board, including Škoda Auto, Volvo Penta, Castolin Eutectics, Proficolor, GET STC, and SIMUNE. They will help us to make sure that no industry-relevant factor would be forgotten during the development process.
• June 2025 
  A critical milestone was reached: All necessary experimental data were collected and viable models constructed, allowing for final selection of promissing compositions for both hot dip and thermal spray coatings. As the outcome of an intense meeting in Barcelona in premises of ICN2, we have arrived to 5 compositions for each technology. Now, the teams at Tata Steel and VZU start working on the coating application.
• July 2025 
  The first meeting of the External Advisory Board was held. we informed the group about the goals and progress of the project and asked many questions regarding industrial requirements for acceptance of new coatings.
• August 2025 
  The modelling team at ICN2 reported first simulations for the alloy-water interaction. Results show differences for the behavior of the water structuring as Zn content increases. That might substantially affect the system’s electrostatic potential and, therefore, the absolute electrode potentials that will be further obtained.
• September 2025 
  Mike Morgan and Keshava Boorgula from RMIT presented their modelling work at EUROCORR in Stavanger. Both presentations are available above for download. 
  Steel panels with four ALCOAT coatings (thermal spray and hot dip) were prepared at PYRO and VZU and delivered for screening of microstructure, corrosion properties, galvanic protection ability and hydrogen entry. The coatings exhibit good surface quality. Further will follow with the goal to prepare all selected compositions until end of January 2026.
• December 2025 
  An online project meeting was organized to present first data on characterization and screening of ALCOAT-coated steel sheets at RISE, UCT, Tata Steel and VZU. One of the hot dip compositions was apparently highly active. The reason for the unexpected activity will be investigated.
  Custom-made powders for cold spraying were prepared by an external company for VZU.

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