Surface characterization of nano MAO coatings on an Mg alloy

Micro arc oxidation technique is currently being used for its ability to produce well-adhered coatings with convoluted surface morphology as one of the hot topics for biomedical science studies. In the present work, the as-cast biodegradable magnesium-zinc-calcium alloy, considered as potential material for implant applications, was employed to be coated by MAO process in different conditions (140-200 mA/cm2, 500-2500 Hz, 30-50%) via design of experiment (DOE) method. Surface morphology and cross section and chemical composition of MAO coated samples were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and image analyzer (pore size and density) determination.

Keywords:

Micro arc oxidation , magnesium-zinc-calcium alloy , surface characterization