Hydrothermal synthesis of protective coating on magnesium alloy using de-ionized water

► A protective coating was synthesized by hydrothermal method with de-ionized water. ► The treatment is simple, green, and can treat work pieces with complicated shapes. ► The synthesized coating is uniform, double layer, and high hydrophilic. ► It has strong adhesion to the substrate and can prevent corrosion effectively. ► This treatment is potential for surface modification of biomedical magnesium alloys.