PEO of pre-anodized Al–Si alloys: Corrosion properties and influence of sealings

Highlights: • A356 gravity-cast and rheocast pre-anodized aluminium alloys were coated by PEO. • Different sealing techniques were applied after the coating process. • Iron-rich constituents of the substrate occlude the continuity of the porous anodic film. • PEO coatings consisted of a mixture of α-Al₂O₃, γ-Al₂O₃ and mullite. • Post-treatments improved both hydrophobic and corrosion properties. - Abstract: Voltage-controlled PEO coatings were developed on A356 aluminum alloys (gravity-cast and rheocast) with a pre-anodized layer. The influence of the alloy manufacturing process and the effect of Si-rich phase on the structure and composition of the oxide layers were evaluated using SEM, EDS and XRD. The pre-anodized oxide layer preserves the microstructure of the substrate due to the presence of secondary phases that have a different behavior relative to the matrix during anodizing. PEO coatings consisted of a mixture of α-Al₂O₃, γ-Al₂O₃ and mullite. The corrosion behavior and the effectiveness of different sealing techniques based on salts of nickel, cobalt, cerium and phosphonic acid were also studied. Post-treatments improved the hydrophobic properties of the coatings and showed a beneficial effect, significantly increasing the coating impedance and thereby reducing the susceptibility to corrosion