Microstructure and corrosion resistance of modified 2024 Al alloy using surface mechanical attrition treatment combined with microarc oxidation process

A top ceramic coating was fabricated on the surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) modified nanocrystalline layer of 2024 Al alloy by microarc oxidation (MAO) process. The corrosion resistance of the SMAT-MAO composite coating was studied by EIS. The results show that SMAT-MAO composite coating with 10 μm top ceramic coating exhibited better corrosion resistance, while the SMAT-MAO coating with the thickness of 15 μm showed worse corrosion resistance compared with those simple MAO coatings with same thickness. The formation of a dense passive film at the damaged region caused by the bottom nanocrystalline interface contributed to the improved corrosion resistance property.