Grain refinement promotes the formation of phosphate conversion coating on Mg alloy AZ91D with high corrosion resistance and low electrical contact resistance

Abstract

The application of Mg and its alloys in 3C (i.e. Computer, Communication and Consumer Electronic) industries requires a strict combination of corrosion resistance and low electrical contact resistance (ECR). The conventional design of conversion coating relies on a thick and compact layer to offer active protectiveness but compromises the electric conductivity. In this work, phosphate conversion coatings (PCC) with low electrical contact resistance were prepared on the sand-cast and die-cast Mg alloy AZ91D, respectively. The microstructural differences, ECR and corrosion resistance were observed and compared. Results show that the PCCs on die-cast alloy have a thickness of 300-400 nm, and are more compact than those on sand-cast counterparts. Interestingly, PCCs of the die-cast exhibit lower ECR, which indicates a mild impact of the improved compactness on ECR. Meanwhile, corrosion resistance of the PCCs on die-cast alloy is greatly improved, which is attributed to the intensified micro-galvanic effect through the grain refinement of the die-cast alloy. It evidently promotes the electrochemical reactions during the conversion treatment to yield high quality PCC.