Effects of the Power Supply Mode and Loading Parameters on the Characteristics of Micro-Arc Oxidation Coatings on Magnesium Alloy

• Published in: Metals (Basel ) Vol. 10; no. 11; p. 1452
• Main Authors: Yao, Jian-tao, Wang, Sheng, Zhou, Yong, Dong, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 01.11.2020
• Subjects: average energy consumption; load characteristics; load parameters; micro-arc oxidation; power mode
• ISSN: 2075-4701; 2075-4701
• DOI: 10.3390/met10111452

Micro-arc Oxidation (MAO) is a technology for non-ferrous metal surface treatment through growth ceramic coating in situ. To determine the influence of the power supply mode and the loading parameters on the film forming of magnesium alloy micro-arc oxidation processing, the different power supply modes of pulsed direct current DC, pulsed bipolar current (BC) and the pulsed with a discharge loop current (DLC) was used with MAO technology on the AZ91D magnesium alloy. The power load parameters were optimized. The average energy consumption was calculated. Results showed that the role of the negative voltage in the bipolar pulse power supply is to restrain the large arc tendency. Under the pulse power supply with a discharge loop, the current and energy consumption decreases with the increase of the discharge resistance at the same pulse parameters. The big arc phenomenon can be effectively avoided and the impact of load capacitance could be effectively avoided by using the pulse power supply with a discharge loop. Moreover, the processing of the micro-arc oxidation is stable, the arc point is uniform, the surface of the film is smooth, the hole is uniform and the coating is dense, and the film efficiency is improved effectively.