Photoluminescent Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Coatings Containing YAG: Ce Produced on 1050 Aluminum Alloy

In this work, we investigated the possible incorporation of YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet)-Ce particles into plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings on 1050AA (aluminum alloy) in order to endow the surface with photoluminescent properties. Different treatment times and current modes (direct or pulsed) were tested as PEO process parameters using as electrolyte a silicates-containing solution. The microstructure of the samples was characterized by SEM and XRD measurements, the corrosion properties were determined by EIS tests, whereas the photoluminescence was evaluated with a proper spectrometer. The concentration of the YAG-Ce particles incorporated in the PEO coating was strongly influenced by the current mode, and in particular, it was higher with pulsed current mode. A higher content of YAG-Ce particles results in a better corrosion resistance and photoluminescent effect. PEO process in pulsed unipolar mode using an electrolyte containing YAG-Ce particles resulted an effective way to produce samples of 1050AA with a surface characterized by photoluminescent properties.

Automated summary

In this study, we investigated the incorporation of YAG-Ce particles into PEO coatings on aluminum alloy to give the surface photoluminescent properties. It was found that a higher content of YAG-Ce particles could be achieved with pulsed current mode, resulting in improved corrosion resistance and photoluminescent effect.