Corrosion resistance of hybrid plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings on AZ31B magnesium alloy in simulated body fluid

Abstract

This study examines the effects of a hydroxyapatite/anatase TiO2/CeO2 coating on the corrosion of AZ31B magnesium alloy in a simulated body fluid. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is used to create the coating, and the surface properties are analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Contact angle measurements adapted to compare the uncoated substrate (144.74 ± 2.08°) with the coated substrates, which exhibit contact angles of (107.92 ± 2.16°), (95.88 ± 2.06°) and (66.05 ± 2.09°) for the respective coating durations. Increasing the thickness of the coating improves its corrosion resistance. Specifically, a 6-minute PEO coating significantly increases the thickness and provides better protection against corrosion for the AZ31B magnesium alloy. Cross-sectional scans of the coated samples revealed an increase in specimen thickness from 32.92 μm to77.17 μm. Potentiodynamic polarisation tests in a simulated body fluid reveal that the 6-minute coated sample shows the highest corrosion resistance, with the lowest corrosion current density (1.9037 × 10-06) compared to other coatings, indicating strong protection against corrosion. This research proposes a novel method to enhance the corrosion resistance of PEO coatings on magnesium alloys by depositing a thicker layer of hydroxyapatite, anatase TiO2 and CeO2. This approach results in a stronger and more effective protective system against corrosion.