Effect of pre-treatment of AZ91 Mg alloy in HF solution on PEO film formation behavior

This study demonstrates formation behavior and morphological changes of PEO (Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation) films on AZ91 Mg alloy as a function of pre-treatment time in 1 M HF solution at 25 ± 1 ℃. The electrochemical behavior and morphological changes of AZ91 Mg alloy in the pre-treatment solution were also investigated with pre-treatment time. The PEO films were formed on the pre-treated AZ91 Mg alloy specimen by the application of anodic current 100 mA/cm² of 300 Hz AC in 0.1 M NaOH + 0.4 M Na₂SiO₃ solution. Vigorous generation of hydrogen bubbles were observed upon immersion in the pre-treatment solution and its generation rate decreased with immersion time. It was also found that 𝛽-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ in AZ91 Mg alloy was dissolved and a protective thin film of MgF₂ was formed on the AZ91 Mg alloy surface during the pre-treatment process in the 1 M HF solution. PEO film did not grow on the AZ91 Mg alloy specimen when the surface was not pre-treated and irregular PEO films with nodular defects were formed for the specimens pre-treated up to 1 min. Uniform PEO films were formed when the AZ91 Mg alloy specimen was pre-treated more than 3 min. The growth rate of PEO films on AZ91 Mg alloy increased significantly with increasing pre-treatment time.

AZ91 마그네슘 합금의 PEO 피막 형성거동에 미치는 HF전처리의 영향