Electroplated super-hydrophobic Zn-Fe coating for corrosion protection on magnesium alloy

A superhydrophobic Zn-Fe alloy coating was prepared on the surface of a reactive magnesium alloy using a simple, low-cost, eco-friendly method. Firstly, the Zn-Fe coating was obtained in a neutral glycerol Zn-Fe plating solution, which is green, compositionally stable, and non-corrosive to the equipment. And then the superhydrophobic surface with a flower-like microstructure was obtained by grafting myristic acid onto the Zn-Fe coating via a chelation reaction. The water contact angle was >150 degrees and the rolling angle was 3 degrees-4 degrees. The corrosion rate of the two groups of superhydrophobic magnesium alloy samples with electrodeposition time of 30 and 50 min, respectively, was reduced by about 87% compared to that of the bare magnesium alloy. The prepared superhydrophobic coatings exhibit high performance in self-cleaning, abrasion resistance, and corrosion resistance.

Automated summary

A superhydrophobic Zn-Fe alloy coating was successfully prepared on the surface of a reactive magnesium alloy using a simple, low-cost, eco-friendly method. The coating exhibited a unique microstructure and high water contact angle, resulting in significantly reduced corrosion rate and excellent self-cleaning and abrasion resistance.