Study on the bonding strength between calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coatings and a Mg alloy substrate

In order to improve the bonding strength between calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coatings and a micro-arc oxidized (MAO)-AZ91D Mg alloy, different influencing parameters were investigated in the process of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) followed by conversion in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Surface morphology and phase constituents of the as-prepared materials were investigated by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier-transformed infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), Raman spectrometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and a thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analyzer (TG-DTA). Scratch tests were carried out to study the bonding properties between the coatings and the substrates. In vitro immersion tests were conducted to determine the corrosion behaviors of samples with and without deposit layers through electrochemical experiments. In the EPD process, the acetic acid content in the electrophoresis suspension and the electrophoretic voltage played important roles in improving the bonding properties, while the contents of chitosan (CS) and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) in the suspension had less significant influences on the mechanical bonding strength. It was observed that the coatings showed the excellent bonding property when an electrophoretic voltage was in a range of 40-110 V with other reagent amounts as follows: acetic acid: 4.5 vol.%, CS ≤ 0.25 g, nHA ≤ 2.0 g in 200 ml of a CS-acetic acid aqueous solution and nHA ≤ 2.5 g in 300 ml of absolute ethanol. The morphology of the composite coating obtained under the above optimal condition had a flake-like crystal structure. The EPD in the nHA/CS-acetic acid/ethanol suspension resulted in hydroxyapatite, chitosan, brushite (DCPD, CaHPO4·2H2O) and Ca(OH)2 in the coatings. After the as-prepared coating materials were immersed into PBS, Ca(OH)2 could be converted into HA and DCPD. The results of the electrochemical tests manifested that the corrosion resistance of the Mg alloy was improved by coating this composite film.

► Calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coatings on the MAO-AZ91D alloy were prepared. ► The bonding force between the coating and the magnesium alloy was optimized. ► The composite coating slowed down the corrosion rate of magnesium alloy in m-SBF.