Research Progress of Micro-arc Oxidation on the Aluminum Alloys

Micro-arc oxidation(MAO) is a novel technique,which can in-situ form the ceramic coatings on the surfaces of some non-ferrous metals. The ceramic coatings prepared by MAO show good adhesion with the substrate and excellent mechanical properties. The basic principle of the MAO technique on aluminum alloys is introduced,as well as the influences by deposition processes and substrates.The compositions of the electrolyte and the applied power modes have important effects on the deposition process of MAO. The mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of the MAO films are presented,and an outlook of the application and research trend of the technique are also pointed out.