Investigation of Ti/Al2O3 + TiO2 and Ti + TiO2/Al2O3 + TiO2 hybrid coatings as protection of ultra-light Mg–(Li)–Al–RE alloys against corrosion

Low corrosion resistance is a significant problem of magnesium alloys, particularly ultra-light magnesium-lithium alloys. Surface treatment is one way to improve their corrosion resistance. The paper presents the results of tests of Ti/Al2O3 + TiO2 and Ti + TiO2/Al2O3 + TiO2 coatings obtained in a hybrid process combining PVD and ALD methods and ALD coating of Al2O3 + TiO2 type obtained on AE42 (Mg–4Li–2RE) and LAE442 (Mg–4Li–4Al–2RE). Structural studies were performed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscopy and EDS and XPS spectroscopic methods. Potentiodynamic tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy EIS in 0.05 M NaCl solution were performed to determine the electrochemical properties of the tested materials. Moreover, tests of surface wettability and tribological properties using the ball-on-disc method were performed. Based on the analysis of anodic polarisation curves and Tafel analysis, it was found that the Ti + TiO2/Al2O3 + TiO2 coating showed the best potentiodynamic properties on both substrates. In particular, on the magnesium-lithium substrate, the value of the polarisation resistance of this hybrid coating is Rpol = 14 × 103 Ω × cm2, and the value of the corrosion current is jcorr = 0.4 µA/cm2. For the uncoated LAE442 substrate, the polarisation resistance is Rpol = 1.05 × 103 Ω × cm2, and the corrosion current value is jcorr = 5.49 µA/cm2. This improvement is due to the synergistic effect of the combined PVD and ALD technologies. The study confirmed the impact of hybrid coatings on improving the anti-corrosion and tribological properties of ultra-light magnesium alloys.