Development and analysis of frits for enamelling AA2024, AA6082 and AA7075 aluminium alloys

Abstract

AbstractThis study reports the development of frits with different composition, time, and firing temperature for mitigating the corrosion of AA2024, AA6082, and AA7075 aluminium alloys in chloride‐containing solutions. The melting points of the frits were determined using a heating microscope, while the thermal expansion was measured using dilatometry. Several frits were prepared, of which seven were coated on AA2024, AA6082 and AA7075 aluminium alloys. The corrosion resistance of the coated samples was tested in 5 wt% NaCl solution at 25°C using potentiodynamic curve measurements. The corrosion resistance of the coated samples increased compared with the respective uncoated aluminium alloys. The composition and in‐depth homogeneity of the best‐performing coated samples were confirmed using a gas cluster ion beam sputtering source associated with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Furthermore, O2+ sputtering was performed in association with time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry to describe the three‐dimensional composition of the frits.