Wear and corrosion resistance of AZ31 magnesium alloy irradiated by high-intensity pulsed ion beam

The wear and corrosion resistance of AZ31 magnesium alloy irradiated by high-intensity pulsed ion beam (HIPIB) at an ion current density of 100-300 A/cm2 with shot number of 1-10 are investigated by sliding wear test and potentiodynamic polarization measurement. The surface and cross-sectional morphologies, phase structure and surface microhardness of the irradiated AZ31 magnesium alloy samples are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Vickers tester, respectively. The HIPIB irradiation produces the hardened surface layers and improves abrasive wear resistance of all the samples. The wear volume of the irradiated samples at 200 A/cm2 and 300 A/cm2 with 10 shots as well as 100 A/cm2 with 5 shots is about four times less than that of the original sample. The apparent increase in corrosion resistance is achieved for all the irradiated samples in 0.01 mol/l NaCl solution with a pH value of 12. The corrosion potential and pitting breakdown potential for the samples irradiated at 100 A/cm2 with 5 shots are 560 and 630 mV higher than those of the original sample, −1560 mV and −1300 mV (SCE), respectively. It is found that the combined improvement in wear and corrosion resistance of AZ31 magnesium alloy is achieved by HIPIB irradiation, which is ascribed to the microstructural refinement and the chemical homogeneity of the irradiated magnesium alloy.