Hot dip galvanization is a widely used method for protecting steel from corrosion. In the hot dip galvanization method, the steel material to be coated is dipped in a molten metal bath of zinc or of an alloy of zinc containing alloying elements such as Al, Mg, Ni Co and Mg. Hot dipping can also be followed by heat treatment (annealing) resulting in a Zn-Fe (galvanneal) coating over the steel. The zinc/zinc-based alloy coatings act as sacrificial anode thereby protecting the underlying steel from corrosion.