Comparison of suppressing effect for soldering reactions by surface modifications using nitriding and amorphous carbon film in zinc alloy die casting

In zinc alloy die casting, the thin oxide layer generated on a mold surface causes soldering reactions, and the outer surface becomes coarser as the soldering proceeds. To minimize casting defects such as zinc deposits, we propose a surface modification of the mold to prevent soldering reactions. In this study, we observed the diffusion state of constituents generated between a molten zinc alloy (ZDC1) and the surface-modified mold material (maraging steel) using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Furthermore, we analyzed the interfacial reaction layer between the surface-modified mold and the zinc deposits observed on the mold by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and considered the effect of surface modification on suppressing soldering reactions.