Fatigue Behavior of an AM50 Die-Casting Alloy Anodized by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation

While an anodizing process is essential for magnesium alloys to be used under corrosive environments, it sometimes stimulates a fatigue fracture that initiates at the interface between the coating layer and the substrate. In this study, a plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) technique was employed to provide excellent adhesion between the anodizing layer and the AM50 die-cast by applying an extremely high dielectric discharge in an alkaline phosphate electrolyte, and its effect on corrosion and fatigue behaviors was investigated. The stress intensity factor at the fatigue limit was estimated to be 0.28 MPam0.5. The specimen anodized using the PEO technique exhibits enhanced strength and corrosion resistance compared to the unanodized counterpart. Furthermore, it shows a relative fatigue life in spite of the thick anodizing layer because the crack initiates from the interface, not from the pore near the interface.

Photocatalytic activity of oxide systems based on doped d-elements of titanium alloys

CO-, W-, MO- and Zn-containing hetero-oxide nanostructured coatings on titanium and its alloys formed by plasma-electrolyte oxidation in galvanostatic mode from alkaline electrolytes were investigated. The morphology of the surface of the formed coatings was studied by scanning microscopy on the Zeiss Evo 40XVP microscope. The phase composition of the obtained coatings was determined on the X-ray diffractometer Drone-2. Photocatalytic activity of ZnO-WO3/TiO2 films, ZnO-MOO3/TIO2, ZnO-Co3O4/TiO2, CoO-WO3/TiO2 tested in a model reaction of decomposition of an aqueous solution of azobye with a concentration of 12,2·10-5 mol/L (MО) at UV irradiation. It is shown that with plasma-electrolyte oxidation of titanium and its alloys in alkaline diphosphate electrolytes in the mode of «drop-down power» forming heterostructural composites with micro-globular surface morphology. The possibility of controlling the phase and elemental composition of oxide layers, as well as the topography of the surface by changing the composition of the electrolyte and the content of individual components, as well as the modes of formation is confirmed. Heteroxide coatings formed in PEO modes differ in composition and surface morphology, but all exhibit photocatalytic properties of varying degrees of activity. The study of the photocatalytic activity of the obtained coatings in the azo dye decomposition reaction by means of UV testing allowed to rank the heteroxide systems according to the specified parameter. Thus, the degree of decomposition of MF on ZnO-WO3/TiO2 films in 50 minutes was 23 %. Metal oxide systems ZnO-Co3O4/TiO2 had similar characteristics of the degree of decomposition – 21 %. The incorporation of CoO and WO3 oxides into the coating composition reduced the catalytic activity of the system to 19 %. The unstable mode of formation of ZnO-MoO3/TiO2 oxides and the low speed of the process have affected the quality of the catalytic coating activity, reduced the degree of decomposition of MO to values of titanium monoxide Ti/TiO2 without dopants. Comparison of quantitative characteristics of the properties of the obtained coatings allowed to determine the effects of dopants, incorporated into metal oxide systems, on their photocatalytic activity.

The effect of electrolyte composition on the plasma electrolyte oxidation and phase composition of oxide ceramic coatings formed on 2024 aluminium alloy

Purpose: Purpose of this work is to analyse the process of synthesis of oxide ceramic coatings in plasma electrolytes on 2024 aluminium alloy and to form an electrolyte which allows to reduce energy consumption for the coating formation. Design/methodology/approach: The oxide ceramic coatings were synthesized on 2024 aluminium alloy. The coatings were formed by the alternate application of anode and cathode pulses to the sample. X-ray diffraction analysis of coatings was performed on a DRON-3.0 X-ray diffractometer using CuKα radiation. The thickness of the coatings was determined using a CHY TG-05 thickness gauge. The porosity of the coatings was investigated by analysing the micrographs of the plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) coatings obtained on a scanning electron microscope at ×500 magnification using the image processing technique. Findings: The electrolyte with 5 g/l H2O2 additive have been elaborated as an optimal composition for synthesis of a coating with an increased content of corundum (α-Al2O3) as compared to a coating synthesized in the same mode in the 3KOH+2Na2SiO3 electrolyte without H2O2. This synthesis mode allows obtaining a coating with a high corundum content at low energy consumption. Research limitations/implications: For further optimization of the synthesis modes, it is necessary to analyse the influence of the phase composition and porosity of the obtained oxide ceramic coatings on their microhardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. Practical implications: Based on the developed modes of synthesis of the coatings, it will be possible to obtain wear and corrosion resistant oxide ceramic coatings with predetermined functional properties and to reduce energy consumption for their formation. Originality/value: Methods for accelerating the formation of coatings have been proposed and tested, in particular, by adding various amounts of hydrogen peroxide to the electrolyte. The content of oxides in the obtained coatings, in particular, their ratios at various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide in the electrolyte, were determined by X-ray phase analysis. The modes of synthesis of the coatings were developed which allow obtaining a continuous coating without cracks with simultaneous decreasing porosity from 4.32% to 3.55–3.53%.

Corrosion and Wear Behavior of PEO Coatings on D16T Aluminum Alloy with Different Concentrations of Graphene

The effect of added graphene concentration on the microstructure, phase composition, corrosion- and wear- resistance of plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) coatings formed on D16T aluminum alloy in silicate electrolyte with different concentrations of graphene were investigated. The results show that the morphologies of the coatings with graphene were obviously different ascribed to the mode of graphene incorporated into the coating. The coatings consisted of mainly α-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3, and Al, which were divided into an outer porous layer and a dense inner layer. The thickness of the coatings increased non-linearly with graphene concentration. The corrosion resistance of the coatings with graphene was significantly improved. The wear resistance of the coatings was also greatly improved apart from the coating with 3 g/L graphene. The coating produced in the electrolyte with 2 g/L graphene exhibited the optimal comprehensive properties because graphene successfully incorporated into the coating via the pores and spread on the surface of the coating.

Formation of a Pd/MgO Structured Catalyst for the Aqueous Oxidation of Silane to Silanol

The catalytic oxidation of silanes to produce silanols using water as an oxidant at mild temperatures is a major challenge in Si-H activation. Highly efficient and easy-to-recycle catalysts based on Pd nanoparticles are in high demand. In this study, Pd nanoparticles embedded in an MgO porous overlayer on an Mg plate as a structured catalyst was prepared by the plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) technique. The Pd/MgO catalyst is strongly anchored to the MgO plate, building a structured catalyst. Fabrication parameters such as the temperature of the electrolyte and applied voltage significantly influenced the structure of the obtained Pd/MgO catalyst and in turn its catalytic activity. The catalytic activities of Pd/MgO were evaluated by activation of a Si-H bond for catalyzing the aqueous oxidation of silanes to silanol at mild temperatures. The catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles is favored by their electro-deficient state due to influence from the MgO substrate. The Pd/MgO catalyst exhibits good performance stability during recycling. This work paves the way for fabricating structured catalysts with long-term stability and enhanced metal–oxide interaction.