Photoluminescent Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Coatings Containing YAG: Ce Produced on 1050 Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

In this work, we investigated the possible incorporation of YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet)-Ce particles into plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings on 1050AA (aluminum alloy) in order to endow the surface with photoluminescent properties. Different treatment times and current modes (direct or pulsed) were tested as PEO process parameters using as electrolyte a silicates-containing solution. The microstructure of the samples was characterized by SEM and XRD measurements, the corrosion properties were determined by EIS tests, whereas the photoluminescence was evaluated with a proper spectrometer. The concentration of the YAG-Ce particles incorporated in the PEO coating was strongly influenced by the current mode, and in particular, it was higher with pulsed current mode. A higher content of YAG-Ce particles results in a better corrosion resistance and photoluminescent effect. PEO process in pulsed unipolar mode using an electrolyte containing YAG-Ce particles resulted an effective way to produce samples of 1050AA with a surface characterized by photoluminescent properties.

Effects of yttrium doping on high-temperature oxidation, friction, and wear properties of CrAlN films

“…The remarkable physicochemical properties of rare earth elements have made them 'industrial gold.' Their unique physical and chemical properties have widespread applications in various fields, such as military, electronics, metallurgy, optics, agriculture, chemicals, and medicine [1][2][3][4][5]. Recent research has shown that surface treatment can introduce the right amount of reactive yttrium (Y) content into nitride hard films, thereby improving their hardness, adsorption capacity, and resistance to high-temperature oxidation.…”