The influence of rare earth elements (Ce, La, Y, Nd, Gd) on the microstructure, electrochemical and antibacterial properties of Al-Zn-In-Mg-Ti sacrificial anodes

The influence of incorporating rare earth elements (Ce, La, Y, Nd, Gd) on the performance of Al-Zn-In-Mg-Ti sacrificial anode was investigated. The results demonstrated that the addition of RE has lowered the open circuit potential of Al-Zn-In-Mg-Ti anode, and enhanced its self-corrosion resistance and activation properties. With 2 wt% RE content, the average grain sizes of the sacrificial anodes were reduced to below 100 mu m, exhibiting conspicuous grain refinement, which fostered an increase in the current efficiency. The current efficiencies of the anodes containing Ce, La, Y, and Nd respectively surpassed 90 %. Furthermore, the anodes with RE showed remarkable antibacterial property.