Structure and properties of surface layers formed on zirconium alloy by microarc oxidation

Abstract

The results of studying the structure and properties of composite ceramic coatings produced by microarc oxidation (MAO) on zirconium alloy E110 are presented. To form the coatings, a suspension electrolyte is used with the addition of aluminum-hydroxide nanopowder. It is shown that the addition of the nanopowder results in a substantial increase in the growth rate and thickness of the coating compared with coatings obtained in the same amount of time without the addition of nanopowder to the electrolyte. A decrease in the porosity of coatings with increasing time of microarc oxidation is also revealed. It is found that samples with MAO coatings have a greater resistance to corrosion in an autoclave as compared to uncoated samples.