The effects of cerium implantation on the oxidation behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloys

Implantation of cerium ions into the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloys was performed with fluences of 5 × 1016, 1 × 1017 and 5 × 1017 ions/cm2, respectively. Auger electron spectrometry (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) were used to characterize the implanted surface. The results showed that after treatment a pre-oxidation layer with a duplex structure was formed. The outer layer was mainly composed of MgO, while the inner layer consisted of MgO, Ce2O3 and CeO2. The influence of cerium implantation on the oxidation behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloys was investigated at 773 K in pure O2 for 90 min. The results indicated that the oxidation resistance of the implanted sample was improved with optimal fluence. The corresponding mechanism of the oxidation behavior was also discussed.