Effect of duty cycle and applied current frequency on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating growth behavior

• PEO coatings were grown using different current duty cycles and frequencies.
• Applying lower duty cycles resulted in higher sparking and maximum voltages.
• Lower duty cycles produced higher spatial density and less intensity microdischarges.
• Application of different electrical parameters affected silicon distribution in the coating.
• A new conceptual model is proposed to explain the concentration distribution of Si.

Ceramic coatings were created on the surface of 6061 aluminum alloy using a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process employing a pulsed direct current (DC) power mode in an alkaline electrolyte. The effect of electrical parameters including frequency and duty cycle on the microdischarge behavior and coating growth was investigated at constant current. Surface features of coatings were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was employed to investigate elemental distribution on the coating surfaces and cross-sections. Applying lower duty cycles was found to result in increased breakdown voltages and microdischarges with higher spatial density and lower intensity. Further, applying a lower duty cycle was also found to promote the uniformity of silicon distribution in the coating. Based on these new findings, a new conceptual model is proposed to explain the concentration distribution of Si on the surface of coatings prepared at different duty cycles.