# US 2014/0190229 A1 · Method for improving light gauge building materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190229 A1 - Document ID: US20140190229A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/016,668 - Filed: 2013-09-03 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-30 - Assignees: K2 Enterprises, LLC - Applicants: K2 Enterprises, LLC - Inventors: Kennon WHALEY; Jonathan FLICHER; John BIBBER, SR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190229A1 ## CPC - C23C 2/06: Zinc or cadmium or alloys based thereon - B21D 1/02: by rollers (B21D1/06 takes precedence) - C23C 22/53: Treatment of zinc or alloys based thereon - C23C 22/68: using aqueous solutions with pH between 6 and 8 - C23C 22/83: Chemical after-treatment - Y10T 29/49986: Subsequent to metal working - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A process is described in which non-structural galvanized steel studs are sequentially chemically treated with a permanganate coating to improve oxidation resistance, followed by treatment with a silicate coating sealant, optionally with zinc surface activation using an acid treatment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for making a corrosion-resistant metal building component comprising the following steps of: providing a steel sheet, said sheet having a surface comprising zinc or a zinc alloy selected from the group consisting of galvanized, galvalumed and galvannealed, suitable for use in making metal building components having an initial thickness, rolling the steel sheet by at least 10% to form a rolled steel sheet in forming a building component, applying a permanganate coating composition containing essentially no trivalent or hexavalent chromium to said building component, at a pH of about 9.0 to 2.0 inclusive; and applying an inorganic silicate coating to seal said permanganate composition on said building component, such that the building component meets the ASTM B 117-07a test and provides a corrosion resistance similar to a like building component made of the initial thickness without the rolling step. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 where a permanganate coating is applied to the steel sheet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 where the initial thickness is 0.017-0.115 inches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 where the method further comprises a step of adding a valence stabilizer to said permanganate composition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 where the percent rolling is at least 20%. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 where the percent rolling is at least 25%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 which further comprises the step of adding a surface activator prior to said step of adding a permanganate composition. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein said inorganic silicate coating is a potassium silicate. ### Claim 9 A process for making a corrosion-resistant galvanized light gauge metal building stud comprising the following steps of: providing a steel sheet having a surface comprising zinc or a zinc alloy and having an initial thickness of 0.017-0.115 inches; applying a permanganate conversion coating composition containing essentially no trivalent or hexavalent chromium to said galvanized steel sheet, said permanganate composition applied at a pH of about 9.0 to 2.0 inclusive; rolling the steel sheet by at least 10% to form a thinner galvanized steel sheet in forming at least one light gauge metal stud; and applying an inorganic silicate coating to seal said permanganate composition on said at least one light gauge metal stud, such that the light gauge metal stud meets the ASTM B 117-07a test and provides a corrosion resistance similar to a metal stud made of the initial thickness without the rolling step. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 where the sheet surface is selected from the group consisting of galvanized, galvalumed and galvannealed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 where the initial thickness is approximately 0.0295 inches. inches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 where the percent rolling is at least 20%. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 where the percent rolling is at least 25%. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 where said permanganate composition is applied at a concentration diluted to up to about 50% of undiluted permanganate composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9 wherein said coating is a potassium silicate. ### Claim 16 A process for making a corrosion-resistant building component comprising the following steps of: providing a steel sheet suitable for use in making metal building components, said sheet having a surface comprising zinc or a zinc alloy, suitable for use in making metal building components having an initial thickness, reducing a thickness of said steel sheet by at least 10% to form a reduced thickness steel sheet; applying a first coating composition comprising an alkali metal permanganate composition containing essentially no chromium to said steel sheet, and wherein said alkali metal of said alkali metal permanganate composition is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium, lithium, rubidium and cesium and applied at a pH of about 9.0 to 2.0 inclusive; applying a second coating composition comprising a silicate sealant composition to the steel sheet; forming said reduced thickness steel sheet into at least one metal building component and wherein said building material meets the ASTM B 117-07a corrosion-resistance standard at a coating weight which is equal to or less than that specified by ASTM A 1003-G40. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16 where the first coating is applied before rolling the steel sheet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16 where building component is a non-structural light gauge galvanized metal building stud. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16 where said permanganate composition is applied at a concentration diluted to up to about 50% of undiluted permanganate composition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16 wherein said alkali metal is potassium in both said alkali metal permanganate and said silicate.