Surface gradient layers on hot-dip galvanised steel were synthesised in order to determine the barrier properties and corrosion resistance of thin amorphous conversion coatings as a function of layer thickness and processing time. For this purpose, a dip coating procedure was established that yields well-defined gradient layers. As a model system for conversion film formation on zinc coated steel, a zirconium based bath chemistry was used. The synthesised zirconium oxyhydroxide gradient films were characterised by localised electrochemical techniques, such as Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using an electrochemical capillary cell. Microscopic infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (mu-FT-IRRAS) measurements and small-spot X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) were used as complementary surface analytical techniques. The applied analysing techniques provide a spatial resolution of 100-1600 mu m. Thereby, a complete variation of thin film properties, such as thickness, barrier properties, corrosion resistance and chemical composition can be measured as function of the time of film growth on a sample with a length of a few centimetres. This approach allows a precise and accurate determination of structure-to-property relationships of thin conversion films. Moreover, it could be shown that a surface gradient film analysis significantly rationalises experimental time and increases the reliability of the experimental results. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.