Electroless Ni-P plating on Mg-10Gd-4.8Y-0.6Zr magnesium alloy with a new pretreatment process

► There was a metal Cr generated in the process of pretreatment. ► The Ni-P coating was amorphous, compact with good adhesion; the thickness was 50 μm. ► The corrosion potential of Ni-P coating shifted by 1090 mV positively. ► The corrosion current density of coated alloy decreased one order of magnitude. ► The salt spray test time of Ni-P coating was 210 h.