Growth mechanism of microarc oxide membrane under the distribution law of Si and Zr elements

This study investigated the growth mechanism of microarc oxidation ceramic coatings on AZ91D magnesium alloy by sequentially treating it in silicate and zirconate electrolyte systems. The distribution patterns of Si and Zr elements were examined to understand the growth mechanism. The results showed that the distribution of Si and Zr elements in the SZ ceramic coatings changed with increasing termination voltage of microarc oxidation. The growth mechanism of microarc oxidation ceramic coatings on magnesium alloys involved the reaction between Si and Zr elements from the electrolyte and Mg elements from the substrate to form molten oxides under the high-temperature and high-pressure conditions of microarc oxidation discharge. At lower termination voltages, some of the molten oxides remained near the discharge channels or the film/substrate interface, resulting in inward growth of the ceramic coating. As the termination voltage increased, some of the molten oxides were ejected outward through the discharge channels, facilitating outward growth of the ceramic coating. The inclusion of silicon elements compared to zirconium elements will significantly increase the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the ceramic membrane, enhancing the electrical conductivity of the ceramic membrane while reducing its corrosion resistance.