Effect of rare earth element Ce and La on corrosion behavior of AM60 magnesium alloy

New AM60-RE (RE = Ce or La) alloy was prepared and its corrosion behavior was evaluated by hydrogen evolution and electrochemical methods. New γ phase containing higher content of RE and Al elements has been found. The corrosion resistance of AM60 alloy improved with addition of RE, and this improvement could attribute to depression of the micro-galvanic couples, because the fraction of β was decreased, as well as the deposited RE-containing phases were less cathodic. Moreover, RE and Al enrichment in the corrosion product films on the RE-containing alloy surface was also a key factor to the inhibition of further corrosion.