One-step synthesis of lamellar molybdate pillared hydrotalcite and its application for AZ31 Mg alloy protection

A novel anticorrosion pigment for AZ31 Mg alloy protection, molybdate pillared hydrotalcite (HT-MoO42-), 4 was successfully fabricated via a simple one-step process. The physicochemical properties of the samples were well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectra, and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) method, respectively. The results indicated that the material showed typical characteristics of molybdate intercalated hydrotalcite. Additionally, it was found that the sample exhibited nano-sized lamellar morphology with the particle size of 35-60 nm. Moreover, the coating on AZ31 Mg alloy containing HT-MoO42- pigment showed obviously higher corrosion protection performance in comparison with the strontium chromate (SC) pigment by Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The mechanism of corrosion protection was proposed to be that the HT-MoO42- pigment in the coating would cause the pigment to undergo amphoteric ion exchange with aggressive NaCl solution, leading to the release of molybdate and Zn2+ inhibitors. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.