Effect of SPS on Surface Characteristics of Gas-Atomized Mg-6wt%Al-1wt%Zn Alloy by Non-Hazardous PEO Treatment

The Mg-6wt%Al-1wt%Zn alloy powders mixture produced by gas atomization were spark plasma sintered (SPSed). The SPSed sample was coated by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) method, and the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion properties were investigated and compared to the normally sintered sample. The SPSed sample exhibited a microstructure of well-bonded grains with approximately 48 ,m in grain size, which was bigger than that of the normally sintered sample. The coatings on the SPSed sample were characterized by dense and porous layers, while, in the case of the normally sintered sample, the coatings had grown through the grain boundary of substrate with increasing the coating time. The surface roughness, thickness and micro-hardness of coatings on the SPSed sample increased gradually with increasing the coating time. The corrosion property of coatings on the SPSed sample had a tendency to improve with increasing the coating time in 3.5%NaCl solution. However, it was worse than that of coatings on the normally sintered sample.