The effect of fluoride on the formation of an electroless Ni-P plating film on MAO-coated AZ31B magnesium alloy

This study adds fluoride to the electroless nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) plating solution to prevent the deterioration of MAO-coated AZ31B Magnesium alloy after contact with an electroless plating bath. During the electroless Ni-P plating process, fluoride reacts with Ni2 thorn ions and the MAO coating to form interphases (NaMgF3), which exhibit good bonding and corrosion resistance. NaMgF3 buffers H thorn ions formed from the initiation of Ni-P deposition, preventing the interface of materials from damaging the MAO coating with H thorn ions. As immersion time increases, nickel is scattered over the coating. The fundamental data for MAO/Ni-P coated AZ31B Mg alloy determines whether there is fluoride in the electroless Ni-P plating solution. The results show that the coating for a fluoride-containing solution is more resistant to corrosion than those in fluoride-free solution. The compositions, structure and morphology of the MAO/Ni-P coatings that formed for different working parameters are determined using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The corrosion resistance of the MAO/Ni-P coatings is calculated in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution using a potentiodynamic polarization test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and a salt spray test (SST).(c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).