Analysis on corrosion of aluminum-based micro-arc oxidation coating

Purpose Aluminum alloy is susceptible to chloride ion attack in sea water, resulting in pitting damage and hence serious security risks for the related applications. To improve the corrosion resistance of Al alloy, micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technology has been developed to produce a protective dense oxide layer on top of Al alloy. However, the mechanism of MAO-induced corrosion resistance is still not fully understood, particularly on local corrosion issue. This paper aims to focus on comprehensively studying the corrosion-resistance mechanism by a series of technologies. Design/methodology/approach The corrosion behavior of samples was studied by open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrode impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and localized electrode impedance spectroscopy (LEIS) tests in NaCl solution. Findings The MAO-coated Al alloy shows a more positive corrosion potential and a higher corrosion current density compared to the untreated counterpart, indicating a significantly enhanced corrosion-resistance. The study of surface morphology and structure also suggest significantly enhanced corrosion-resistance due to the MAO treatment. Originality/value Based on the results, a new corrosion model was proposed to describe the influence of MAO treatment on the corrosion process and corrosion mechanism of Al alloy, providing insights on the design of the corrosion-resistance coating for metallic alloys in marine applications.