Effects of K(2)TiF(6) and Electrolyte Temperatures on Energy Consumption and Properties of MAO Coatings on 6063 Aluminum Alloy

To decrease energy consumption and improve the performance of micro-arc oxidation (MAO) films on 6063 Al alloy, a policy of K(2)TiF(6) additive and electrolyte temperature control was adapted. The specific energy consumption relied on the K(2)TiF(6) additive and more particularly on the electrolyte temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that electrolytes with 5 g/L K(2)TiF(6) can effectively seal the surface pores and increase the thickness of the compact inner layer. Spectral analysis shows that the surface oxide coating consists of γ-Al(2)O(3) phase. Following 336 h of the total immersion process, the impedance modulus of the oxidation film, prepared at 25 °C (Ti5-25), remained 1.08 × 10(6) Ω·cm(2). Moreover, Ti5-25 has the best performance/energy-consumption ratio with a compact inner layer (2.5 ± 0.3 μm). This research found that the time of the big arc stage increased with the temperature, resulting in producing more internal defects in the film. In this work, we employ a dual-track strategy of additive and temperature providing an avenue to reduce the energy consumption of MAO on alloys.