Review of Cr-Free Coatings for the Corrosion Protection of Aluminum Aerospace Alloys

Aluminum alloys are known to have many advantages (e.g., light weight and low cost) but they are not immune to corrosion. So, it is important to assess their corrosion behavior, in particular under atmospheric conditions. To protect aluminum alloys against corrosion, paints are generally applied onto the materials. Corrosion protection in the aerospace industry consists of a conversion or anodized coating, an inhibited primer, and a top-coat. Chromate conversion coating (CCC) and primers containing chromate pigments have been widely used in the aerospace industry over the last decades. However, new environmental regulations have led to major changes for aluminum corrosion protection. By limiting or prohibiting some chemicals, for instance Cr(VI), the European regulation REACH (Regulation on Registration Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) has induced major changes to some of the finishing processes of aluminum alloys (e.g., chromate conversion, chromic acid anodizing, and chromate sealing). Interesting results have been obtained while seeking replacements for Cr(VI), for example, with the incorporation of cerium, lithium salt, or nanocontainers loaded with corrosion inhibitors in organic coatings. For several years, hybrid sol–gel coatings able to replace the pre-treatment and primer steps have been under development, showing interesting results. New prospects for the future involve the use of photopolymerization to reduce the energy-intensive heat treatment needed in sol–gel technology. It will also be necessary to test these new technologies in service conditions or in accelerated corrosion tests before being able to conclude on the real effectiveness of these coatings. This review summarizes the recent developments in Cr-free coatings for aluminum alloys. Their advantages and drawbacks are also discussed.