Anodizing science of valve metals

This presentation introduces anodizing science of typical valve metals of Al, Mg and Ti, based on the ionic transport through the andic oxide films in various electrolyte compositions. Depending on the electrolyte composition, metal ions and anions can migrate through the andic oxide film without its dielectric breakdown when point defects are present within the anodic oxide films under high applied electric field. On the other hand, if anodic oxide films are broken by local joule heating due to ionic migration, metal ions and anions can migrate through the broken sites and meet together to form new anodic films, known as plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) treatment. In this presentation, basics of conventional anodizing and PEO methods are introduced in detail, based on the ionic migration and movement mechanism through anodic oxide films by point defects and by local dielectric breakdown of anodic oxide films.