Effects of Na2SiO3 on anodization of Mg-Al-Zn alloy in 3 M KOH solution

The anodic behavior of Mg-Al-Zn alloy (AZ91D) under low potential electrolysis in 3 M KOH solutions was studied with and without addition of 0.5-5 M Na2SiO3. Anodic films incorporating silicon were formed during electrolysis, and the films formed under constant potential electrolysis at 4 V in 3 M KOH solution with Na2SiO3 were uniform and thicker than the films formed without Na2SiO3. A few at% of silicon was present as Mg2SiO4 in the films, although the main compound was Mg(OH)(2). The corrosion resistance of the films formed in solutions with Na2SiO3 increased in an anodic polarization test in 0.1 M KCl solution. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.