Effect of cerium (IV) on thin sulfuric acid anodizing of 2024-T3 alloy

Chromic acid anodizing (CAA) is still being used today for corrosion protection of fatigue-critical components in the aeronautic industry due to the lack of feasible alternatives. Ce-containing sulfuric acid anodizing (SAA) has been identified as a promising strategy for the development of alternatives to toxic CAA. This work explores thin sulfuric acid anodizing (TSAA) focusing on the following effects: (i) current density and voltage values; (ii) concentration of Ce(IV). Screening of the optimum combination in search of minimum thickness and the best corrosion resistance was performed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Two Ce-containing anodic films were selected and further investigated in comparison with the inhibitor-free film in terms of morphology (FEG-SEM, TEM), composition (RBS), corrosion resistance (EIS, NSST), high-cycle fatigue and paint adhesion. The results indicate that the path to approach the CAA performance lies through thin (<1 μm) SAA-Ce films formed at low current density.