In this paper, a protective sealed Zn coating (SZC) was prepared on sintered NdFeB magnet by the combination of electrodeposition and sol-gel method. The unsealed Zn coating (UZC) was also studied for a comparison. The surface morphology of UZC and the cross-section morphology of SZC were investigated using scanning election microscope (SEM). The microstructure of Zn coating and structure of sealing layer were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, respectively. The corrosion characteristics of SZC and UZC in neutral 3.5 wt% NaCl solution were evaluated using electrochemical measurements including open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization test, indicating that the anticorrosive properties of SZC coated specimens increased 20 times compared with that of UZC coated specimens. In order to further investigate the anticorrosive properties of SZC, a long-term immersion test was carried out in neutral 3.5 wt% NaCl solution using EIS. The results of long-term corrosion test showed that the SZC could provide long-term protection in neutral 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for NdFeB magnet.

In this paper, a protective coating scheme was applied for the corrosion protection of AZ91D magnesium alloy. Electroless Ni coating (EN coating) as bottom layer, electrodeposited Ni coating (ENN coating), and silane-based coating (ENS coating) as top layer, respectively, were successfully prepared on AZ91D magnesium alloy by combination techniques. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were employed to investigate the surface and phase structure of coatings, respectively. The electrochemical corrosion behaviors of coatings in neutral 3.5 wt% NaCl solution were evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The corrosion testing showed that the three kinds of coatings all could provide corrosion protection for AZ91D magnesium alloy to a certain extent, and the corrosion resistance of ENN and ENS was superior to EN. In order to further study the corrosion protection properties of ENN and ENS, a comparative investigation on the evolution of EIS of ENN and ENS was carried out by dint of immersion test in neutral 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The results indicated that, compared with ENN, the ENS could provide longer corrosion protection for AZ91D magnesium alloy. It is significant to determine the barrier effect of each coating, which could provide reference for industry applications.

A protective Ni–Co alloy coating was successfully prepared on sintered neodymium–iron–boron (NdFeB) magnet via potentiodynamic electrodeposition in this paper. The microstructure and surface morphology analysis of Ni–Co alloy coating showed that the surface morphologies were quite compact and more uniform than that prepared by direct current (DC) electrodeposition; significantly, the chemical composition analysis indicated that the content of Co in the alloy coatings amounted to 33–34 wt-. Potentiodynamic polarisation and long term immersion test results revealed that the Ni–Co alloy coating could supply excellent corrosion protection for NdFeB substrate in 3.5 wt- NaCl solution. Overall, the Ni–Co alloy coating with higher Co content prepared by potentiodynamic electrodeposition exhibited better corrosion protection for sintered NdFeB magnet compared with that prepared by DC electrodeposition.