A novel aluminum surface treatment for improved bonding in magnesium/aluminum bimetallic castings

An “electropolishing + anodizing” surface treatment has been developed to disrupt the oxide film on the surface of Al–1 wt.% Sn alloy, improving the wetting and metallurgical bonding between molten Mg and Al–1 wt.% Sn substrates in bimetallic experiments. The work suggests that Sn can be used as a surface alloying element for Al substrates which, when combined with the new “electropolishing + anodizing” surface treatment, can increase the interfacial strength of the Mg/Al bimetallic castings.