STUDY OF HARDNESS AND CORROSION RATE OF COPPER IONS IRRADIATED Mg–Al–Zn ALLOY IN RINGER LACTATE SOLUTION

In this work, the surface properties of Mg–Al–Zn (AZ91D) alloy such as surface morphology, hardness and electrochemical corrosion were studied after copper ions (Cu[Formula: see text] irradiation at different energies (0.8, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5[Formula: see text]MeV) while keeping the ion dose constant at [Formula: see text] ions/cm 2 . The morphological features of irradiated samples showed defects composed of ejected material from the alloy surface that became more significant at 3.5[Formula: see text]MeV. The Vickers hardness was increased with increase of the Cu[Formula: see text] energy. The electrochemical testing of the samples was conducted in a Ringer Lactate solution. The potentiodynamic polarization results revealed anomalous changes in the corrosion rate of the Mg alloy with increase of the Cu[Formula: see text] energy. The corrosion rate was considerably decreased with increase of the Cu[Formula: see text] energy to 3.5[Formula: see text]MeV. These changes were associated with the surface defects and passive film formation on the alloy surface.