Corrosion-resistant Mg(OH)2/Mg-Fe layered double hydroxide (LDH) composite films on magnesium alloy WE43

• Electrodeposition of approximately 3.6 µm thick Mg-Fe LDH coatings have been deposited onto magnesium alloy WE43. • The precursor Mg(OH) 2 layer assists the formation of compact LDH film. • The morphology and structure of the coating are examined in FESEM and TEM. • Electrodeposited Mg-Fe LDH films reveal an enhanced corrosion resistance in Hank's balanced salt solution. A new synthesis approach was developed for Mg-Fe layered double hydroxide (LDH) film on oxidised magnesium (Mg) alloy WE43 surface by cathodic electrodeposition. The synthesised Mg(OH) 2 surface layer provides essential divalent cations and a foundation for the direct growth of an Mg-Fe LDH film through the electrodeposition process with trivalent cations containing solution. The cross-section analysis results disclosed that the Mg(OH) 2 layer altered the typical morphology of LDH film, leading to structured LDH nanoplates with a thickness of approximately 3.5 µm. The formation of structured LDH nanoplates resulted from the perpendicular arrangement of the ab -faces of the crystallites to the WE43 surface, as seen from Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) images. Electrochemical tests in Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) report the E corr value increased by 0.24 V and a decrease in i corr by one order of magnitude of Mg(OH) 2 /Mg-Fe LDH composite films against its substrate. Furthermore, the impedance modulus values of Mg(OH) 2 /Mg-Fe LDH composite films can achieve a magnitude of three times greater than its substrate. These results indicate that the Mg-Fe LDH film can effectively capture the corrosion anions during corrosion through the anion-exchange process, making it a promising surface modification for Mg alloy. .