User:Sluderdude/sandbox

The process is similar to that of Electrolytic sulfuric acid zinc plating, with few differences. The electrolytic sulfuric acid zinc plating process uses zinc Anodes, while bethanization uses inert Mild steel anodes instead. The Electrolytes used are manufactured using Zinc oxide dross, dissolved in Sulfuric acid.

Material Properties
Uniformity - The zinc coating surrounding the wire is tightly bonded to the steel and uniformly distributed; weak spots on the wire will not be found.

Ductility - Bethanizing steel with 99.9 percent zinc, bonds them together tightly without any room for layers of zinc iron alloy. Zinc iron alloy is a brittle substance that induces cracking, leaving steel at critical points exposed. The zinc coating is more ductile and less brittle.

Resistance to Corrosion and fatigue - Bethanized wire is claimed to have protection against corrosion and corrosion fatigue equal to that of hot-galvanized steel wire.

Strength - Wire that has been bethanized has breaking strengths claimed to be around 90 percent of bright wire strength.

Use in Fencing
Bethanization was applied to outdoor fencing by the Bethlehem Steel company in the 1930’s. Pure zinc was bethanized to ensure that the wire used for fencing had attractive material properties. When coating wire with pure zinc, the wire is no longer contaminated with iron unlike previous processes such as Galvanization, which the company claims gives wire more durability while still retaining Ductility. The bethanized fencing is claimed to also be Resistant to Sulfur gases that are present in earths atmosphere. The fence resists these gases more or less depending on the purity of zinc used to bethanize. Other fencing applications that have been bethanized by the Bethlehem Steel Company include:


 * Barbed Wire
 * Gates
 * Fence Posts
 * Silver Star Bale Ties