Designation: B841 − 99 (Reapproved 2010)

Standard Specification for

Electrodeposited Coatings of Zinc Nickel Alloy Deposits1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B841; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope B568 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thickness

1.1 This specification covers the requirements for electrode- by X-Ray Spectrometry
posited zinc nickel alloy coatings on metals. B571 Practice for Qualitative Adhesion Testing of Metallic
Coatings
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the B602 Test Method for Attribute Sampling of Metallic and
standard. Inorganic Coatings
1.3 The following precautionary statement pertains to the B697 Guide for Selection of Sampling Plans for Inspection
test method portion only, Section 8, of this specification: This of Electrodeposited Metallic and Inorganic Coatings
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, B762 Test Method of Variables Sampling of Metallic and
if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user Inorganic Coatings
of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health B849 Specification for Pre-Treatments of Iron or Steel for
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita- Reducing Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement
tions prior to use. B850 Guide for Post-Coating Treatments of Steel for Reduc-
ing the Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement
2. Referenced Documents D3951 Practice for Commercial Packaging
2.1 ASTM Standards:2
B117 Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus 3. Terminology
B183 Practice for Preparation of Low-Carbon Steel for 3.1 Definitions—Many items used in this specification are
Electroplating defined in Terminology B374.
B242 Guide for Preparation of High-Carbon Steel for Elec-
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
troplating
3.2.1 significant surface, n—that portion of a coated arti-
B320 Practice for Preparation of Iron Castings for Electro-
cle’s surface where the coating is required to meet all the
plating
requirements of the coating specification for that article.
B322 Guide for Cleaning Metals Prior to Electroplating
Significant surfaces are usually those that are essential to the
B374 Terminology Relating to Electroplating
serviceability or function of the article, or that can be a source
B487 Test Method for Measurement of Metal and Oxide
of corrosion products or tarnish films that interfere with the
Coating Thickness by Microscopical Examination of
function or desirable appearance of the article.
Cross Section
B499 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thicknesses 3.2.2 Discussion—Significant surfaces are those surfaces
by the Magnetic Method: Nonmagnetic Coatings on that are identified by the purchaser by, for example, indicating
Magnetic Basis Metals them on an engineering drawing of the product or marking a
B504 Test Method for Measurement of Thickness of Metal- sample item of the product.
lic Coatings by the Coulometric Method
B507 Practice for Design of Articles to Be Electroplated on 4. Classification
Racks 4.1 There is one class of zinc nickel coating defined as
follows:
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B08 on 4.1.1 Class 1—Deposits having a minimum of 5 and maxi-
Metallic and Inorganic Coatingsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee mum 12 mass % nickel, the balance being zinc.
B08.08.04 on Soft Metals.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2010. Published February 2010. Originally 4.2 There are five chromate conversion coating types that
approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 12004 as B841 – 99(2004). are defined as follows:
DOI: 10.1520/B0841-99R09.
2
4.2.1 Type A—With colorless (blue bright) conversion coat-
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
ings,
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on 4.2.2 Type B—With yellow iridescent conversion coatings,
the ASTM website. 4.2.3 Type C—With bronze conversion coatings,

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Mon Sep 17 01:22:44 EDT 2012
1
Downloaded/printed by
 B841 − 99 (2010)
4.2.4 Type D—With black chromate conversion coatings, 6.2.1 The coating shall consist of a zinc nickel alloy that has
and a minimum of 5 and maximum 12 mass percent nickel, the
4.2.5 Type E—Any of the above plus organic topcoat. balance being zinc.
NOTE 1—Whereas colored chromate conversion coatings are usually 6.2.2 The coating shall be produced from an aqueous
meant to include various shades of yellow to bronze when used with electroplating system that may be either an alkaline or acid
nonalloyed zinc, yellow and bronze chromate conversion coatings are formulation as specified by the purchaser.
considered distinctly different in appearance and performance when 6.2.3 The coating shall have such supplementary conversion
applied to alloyed zinc coatings and are formulated specifically to produce
the desired coating and are formulated specifically to produce the desired
coatings as defined in 4.2 and specified in the purchase order.
coating. 6.3 Appearance:
4.3 There are three grades according to thickness and are 6.3.1 The coating on all ready visible surfaces shall have an
defined as follows: acceptable and characteristic appearance as agreed upon by the
Minimum Thickness, µm New ASTM Grade Old ASTM Grade purchaser and seller. The coating shall be uniform insofar as
5 5 1 the basis metal will permit. When the article is to be plated on
8 8 2
10 10 3
a rack, contact marks may be unavoidable. Location of such
marks(s) shall be indicated on the article or its drawing.
5. Ordering Information 6.3.2 Defects and variations in appearance that arise from
5.1 In order to make the application of this specification surface conditions of the substrate (scratches, pores, roll marks,
complete, the purchaser needs to supply the following infor- inclusions, and the like) and that persist in the coating despite
mation to the seller in the purchase order and drawings: the observance of good metal finishing practices shall not be
5.1.1 Title, ASTM designation number, and date of issue of cause for rejection. The coating shall be adherent, free from
this standard specification, blisters, pits, or discontinuities, and shall be free of cracks in
5.1.2 Deposit by classification including Class, Type, and the as plated state. Flaking shall be cause for rejection in either
Grade (see 4.1, 4.2, 4.3), the as plated state or after subsequent operations.
5.1.3 Composition and metallurgical condition of the sub- NOTE 3—These coatings are commonly used in automotive applications
strate to be coated, where subsequent forming, bending, and crimping operations are com-
5.1.4 Location of significant surfaces (see 3.2.1), monly performed. These operations will necessarily detract from the
5.1.5 Heat treatment for stress relief, whether it has been performance of the coatings. While some cracking of coatings will be
performed by purchaser or is required (see 6.7), unavoidable, flaking of the coating after these subsequent operations shall
be cause for rejection.
5.1.6 Heat treatment after electroplating, if required (see
NOTE 4—Coatings generally perform better in service when the
6.8), substrate over which they are applied is smooth and free of torn metal,
5.1.7 Whether or not location of rack marks is to be defined inclusions, pores, and other defects. The specifications covering the
(see 6.3.1), unfinished product should provide limits for these defects. A metal finisher
5.1.8 Any requirement for special test specimens (see can often remove defects through special treatments, such as grinding,
polishing, abrasive blasting, chemical etches, and electropolishing. How-
8.1.1), ever, these are not normal in the treatment steps preceding the application
5.1.9 Acceptance inspection procedure to be used (see of the coating. When they are desired, they are the subject of special
Section 8), and agreement between the purchaser and the seller.
5.1.10 Any requirement for certification (see Section 10). 6.4 Thickness:
5.1.11 Any other items needing agreement. For the purposes
6.4.1 The thickness of the coating everywhere on the
of this specification, prior agreement on the nature of the finish
significant surfaces as defined in 3.2.1 and shall conform to the
is required as items plated in bulk may differ in appearance
requirements of the specified grade as defined in 4.3.
from those that are rack plated.
NOTE 5—The thickness of electrodeposited coatings varies from point
6. Coating Requirements to point on the surfaces of a product (see Practice B507). The thickness is
6.1 Substrate—The metal to be plated shall be free of flaws less in interior corners and in holes. Such surfaces are often exempt from
thickness requirements. If the full thickness is required in those locations,
and defects that will be detrimental to the zinc alloy coating. It the electroplater will have to use special techniques that will probably
shall be subjected to such cleaning, pickling, and electroplating raise the cost of the process.
procedures as are necessary to yield deposits with the desired NOTE 6—The coating requirement of this specification is a minimum.
quality. Variation in the thickness from point to point on an article and from article
to article in a production lot is inherent in electroplating. Therefore, if all
NOTE 2—Proper preparatory procedures and thorough cleaning are of the articles in a production lot are to meet the thickness requirement, the
essential to ensure satisfactory adhesion and corrosion resistance perfor- average coating thickness for the production lot as a whole will be greater
mance of the coating. Materials used for cleaning should not damage the than the specified minimum.
basis metal, for example by causing defects such as pits, intergranular
attack or stress corrosion cracking. It is recommended that the following 6.5 Adhesion—The coating shall withstand normal handling
practices for cleaning, where appropriate, be used: Practices B183 and and storage conditions without chipping, flaking, or other
B320, and Guides B242 and B322. coating damage and shall conform to the minimum require-
6.1.1 The electroplating shall be applied after all basis metal ments set forth in Section 8.
heat treatments have been completed. 6.6 Corrosion—The corrosion resistance of the coating may
6.2 Nature of Coating: be evaluated using the method in Appendix X1.

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Mon Sep 17 01:22:44 EDT 2012
2
Downloaded/printed by
 B841 − 99 (2010)
6.7 Pretreatment of Iron and Steel for Reducing the Risk of 8. Test Methods
Hydrogen Embrittlement:
8.1 Special Test Specimens:
6.7.1 Parts that are made of steels with ultimate tensile
strengths of 1000 MPa (hardness of 31 HRC or greater) that 8.1.1 The permission or the requirement to use special test
have been machined, ground, cold formed, or cold straightened specimens, the number to be used, the material from which
subsequent to heat treatment shall require stress relief heat they are to be made, and their shape and size shall be stated by
treatment when specified by the purchaser, the tensile strength the purchaser.
to be supplied by the purchaser. Specification B849 may be NOTE 9—Test specimens often are used to represent the coated articles
consulted for a list of pre-treatments that are widely used. in a test if the articles are of a size, shape, or material that is not suitable
for the test or if it is preferred not to submit articles to a destructive test
6.8 Post-Coating Treatments of Iron and Steel for Reducing because, for example, the articles are expensive or few in number. The
the Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement: specimen should duplicate the characteristics of the article that influence
6.8.1 Parts that are made of steels with ultimate tensile the property being tested.
strengths of 1000 MPa (hardness of 31 HRC or greater), as 8.1.2 Special test specimens used to represent articles in an
well as surface hardened parts, may require post-coating adhesion, porosity, corrosion resistance, or appearance test
hydrogen embrittlement relief baking when specified by the shall be made of the same material, in the same metallurgical
purchaser, the tensile strength to be supplied by the purchaser. condition, and have the same surface condition as the articles
Specification B850 may be consulted for a list of post- they represent, and be placed in the production lot of and be
treatments that are widely used. processed along with the articles they represent.
8.1.3 Special test specimens used to represent articles in a
7. Sampling coating thickness test may be made of a material that is suitable
7.1 The sampling plan used for the inspection of a quantity for the test method even if the represented article is not of the
of the coated articles shall be as agreed upon between the same material. For example, a low-carbon steel specimen may
purchaser and the seller. represent a brass article when the magnetic thickness test is
used (see Test Method B499). The thickness specimen need not
NOTE 7—Usually, when a collection of coated articles, the inspection be carried through the complete process with the represented
lot (see 7.2), is examined for compliance with the requirements placed on
the articles, a relatively small number of the articles, the sample, is
article. If not, introduce it into the process at the point where
selected at random and is inspected. The inspection lot is then classified as the coating is applied and carry it through all steps that have a
complying or not complying with the requirements based on the results of bearing on the coating thickness. In rack plating, rack the
the inspection of the sample. The size of the sample and the criteria of specimen in the same way with the same distance from and
compliance are determined by the application of statistics. The procedure orientation with the anodes and other items in the process as
is known as sampling inspection. Three standards, Test Method B602,
Guide B697, and Test Method B762 contain sampling plans that are the article it represents.
designed for the sampling inspection of coatings. Test Method B602
NOTE 10—When special test specimens are used to represent coated
contains four sampling plans, three for use with tests that are nondestruc-
articles in a thickness test, the specimens will not necessarily have the
tive and one when they are destructive. The buyer and seller may agree on
same thickness and thickness distribution as the articles unless the
the plan or plans to be used. If they do not, Test Method B602 identifies
specimens and the articles are of the same general size and shape.
the plan to be used. Guide B697 provides a large number of plans and also
Therefore, before finished articles can be accepted on the basis of a
gives guidance in the selection of a plan. When Guide B697 is specified,
thickness test performed on special test specimens, the relationship
the buyer and seller need to agree on the plan to be used. Test Method
between the thickness on the specimen and the thickness on the part needs
B762 can be used only for coating requirements that have a numerical
to be established. The criterion of acceptance is that thickness on the
limit, such as a coating thickness. The test must yield a numerical value
specimen that corresponds to the required thickness on the article.
and certain statistical requirements must be met. Test Method B762
contains several plans and also gives instructions for calculating plans to 8.2 Composition of Coating—Verify the composition of the
meet special needs. The buyer and the seller may agree on the plan or
coating by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AA), induc-
plans to be used. If they do not, Test Method B762 identifies the plan to
be used. tively coupled plasma (ICP), or directly coupled plasma (DCP)
NOTE 8—When both destructive and nondestructive tests exist for the or other methods if found to be capable of results within 10 %
measurement of a characteristic, the purchaser needs to state which is to of known standards.
be used so that the proper sampling plan is selected. A test may destroy the
coating but in a noncritical area; or, although it may destroy the coating, 8.3 Appearance—Examine the coating at up to 10× magni-
a tested part can be reclaimed by stripping and recoating. The purchaser fication for conformance to the requirements of appearance.
needs to state whether the test is to be considered destructive or
nondestructive. 8.4 Thickness—Measure the coating thickness at locations
on the significant surface designated by the purchaser, and
7.2 An inspection lot shall be defined as a collection of
make the measurement with an accuracy of 10 % or better by
coated articles that are of the same kind, that have been
use of one of the following test methods: Test Methods B487,
produced to the same specification that have been coated by a
B499, B504, and B568.
single supplier at one time or at approximately the same time
under essentially identical conditions, and that are submitted 8.5 Adhesion—Test the adhesion of the coating in accor-
for acceptance or rejection as a group. dance with Practice B571. The choice of test method shall be
one of those appropriate for zinc coatings.
7.3 If special test specimens are used to represent the coated
articles in a test, the number used shall be that required in 8.1.1. 8.6 Corrosion Resistance—See Appendix X1.

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Mon Sep 17 01:22:44 EDT 2012
3
Downloaded/printed by
 B841 − 99 (2010)
9. Rejection and Rehearing in this specification and the requirements have been met. When
9.1 Articles that fail to conform to the requirements of this specified in the purchase order or contract, a report of the test
specification may be rejected. Rejection shall be reported to the results shall be furnished.
producer or supplier promptly and in writing. In case of
11. Packaging
dissatisfaction with the results of a test, the producer or
supplier may make a claim for a rehearing. Coatings that show 11.1 The packaging and packing requirements shall be in
imperfections during subsequent manufacturing operations accordance with Practice D3951 or as specified in the contract
may be rejected. or order.

10. Certification 12. Keywords

10.1 When specified in the purchase order or contract, the 12.1 coatings electrodeposited; corrosion resistant coatings;
purchaser shall be furnished certification that samples repre- electrodeposited zinc nickel alloy plating; electroplating; zinc
senting each lot have been either tested or inspected as directed alloy; zinc nickel

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. Corrosion Resistance of Coating

X1.1 The corrosion resistance of the coating may be evalu- continuous testing that properly applied coatings should with-
ated using Practice B117. Table X1.1 suggests durations of stand but are to be used as a guide only.

TABLE X1.1 Neutral Salt Spray Hours

Base Alloy
Class Grade Type Metal Corrosion
Corrosion Product
1 5 A 150 20
5 A/E 300 150
8 A 240 20
8 A/E 400 150
10 A 500 20
10 A/E 620 150
1 5 B 500 120
5 B/E 620 240
8 B 720 120
8 B/E 840 240
10 B 960 120
10 B/E 1080 240
1 5 C 750 180
5 C/E 1000 300
8 C 960 180
8 C/E 1200 300
10 C 1000 180
10 C/E 1500 300
1 5 D 500 100
5 D/E 620 220
8 D 720 100
8 D/E 840 220
10 D 960 100
10 D/E 1080 220

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Mon Sep 17 01:22:44 EDT 2012
4
Downloaded/printed by
 B841 − 99 (2010)
ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org). Permission rights to photocopy the standard may also be secured from the ASTM website (www.astm.org/
COPYRIGHT/).

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Mon Sep 17 01:22:44 EDT 2012
5
Downloaded/printed by