Porous anodic film growth on beryllium in NaOH electrolyte

Highlights: • The stable conditions of preparing porous anodic film on beryllium in NaOH electrolytes are obtained. • The effects of NaOH concentration and current density on the film growth are studied. • Substrate grain boundaries are relevant to film uniformity. • Good electric insulation and corrosion resistance indicate that it is promising to be used in navigation systems. - Abstract: The formation of the porous anodic film on beryllium in NaOH electrolyte for navigation application is investigated. In particular, the effect of NaOH concentration and current density on morphology, thickness and properties of the anodic film is studied. The condition for stable growth of the anodic film on beryllium in NaOH electrolyte is obtained by analyzing the voltage-time responses and the film morphology. The acquired anodic film shows good insulation property and corrosion resistance, meeting the requirements for navigation application of beryllium.