Coatings with a thickness from ~40 to ~50 µm on Ti6Al4V titanium alloys were formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in a silicate-hypophosphite electrolyte with the addition of graphene oxide. The PEO treatment was carried out in the anode–cathode mode (50 Hz) at a ratio of anode and cathode currents of 1:1; their sum density was 20 A/dm2, and the treatment’s duration was 30 min. The effect of the graphene oxide’s concentration in the electrolyte on the thickness, roughness, hardness, surface morphology, structure, composition, and tribological characteristics of the PEO coatings was studied. Wear experiments, under dry conditions, were carried out in a ball-on-disk tribotester with an applied load of 5 N, a sliding speed of 0.1 m·s−1, and a sliding distance of 1000 m. According to the obtained results, the addition of graphene oxide (GO) into the base silicate-hypophosphite electrolyte leads to a slight decrease in the coefficient of friction (from 0.73 to 0.69) and a reduction in the wear rate by more than 1.5 times (from 8.04 to 5.2 mm3/N·m), with an increase in the GO’s concentration from 0 to 0.5 kg/m3, respectively. This occurs due to the formation of a GO-containing lubricating tribolayer upon contact with the coating of the counter-body in the friction pair. Delamination of the coatings during wear occurs due to contact fatigue; with an increase in the concentration of GO in the electrolyte from 0 to 0.5 kg/m3, this process slows down by more than four times.
Coatings, with a thickness of up to 75 µm, were formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) under the alternating current electrical mode in a silicate-alkaline electrolyte on aluminum composites without additives and alloyed with copper (1–4.5%). The coatings’ structure was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nuclear backscattering spectrometry, and XRD analysis. The coatings formed for 60 min were characterized by excessive aluminum content and the presence of low-temperature modifications of alumina γ-Al2O3 and η-Al2O3. The coatings formed for 180 min additionally contained high-temperature corundum α-Al2O3, and aluminum inclusions were absent. The electrochemical behavior of coated composites and uncoated ones in 3% NaCl was studied. Alloyage of aluminum composites with copper increased the corrosion current density. Plasma electrolytic oxidation reduced it several times.
The influence of technological parameters of plasma electrolytic nitriding and polishing on the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of medium-carbon steel is considered. The morphology and roughness of the surface, phase composition and microhardness of the modified layer have been investigated. Wear resistance was studied under dry friction conditions with bearing steel as counter-body. It was found that plasma electrolytic polishing removes the loose part of the oxide layer and provides a two-fold decrease in surface roughness compared with untreated steel, and 2.8 times compared with the nitrided one. Combined processing at optimal technological parameters leads to an increase in microhardness up to 1130 HV, an increase in wear resistance by 70 times, and a decrease in the corrosion current density by almost 3 times in comparison with untreated steel.
Coatings with a thickness from ~40 to ~50 µm on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy were formed by micro-arc oxidation in a silicate-hypophosphite electrolyte with additions of graphene oxide. Micro-arc oxidation treatment was carried out in the anode–cathode mode (50 Hz) with a ratio of anode to cathode currents of 1:1, a total density of 20 A/dm2, and a treatment duration of 30 min. The effect of the graphene oxide concentration in electrolytes on the thickness, roughness, hardness, surface morphology, structure, composition of micro-arc oxidation coatings, and its electrochemical corrosion behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution was studied. The input of graphene oxide additives into the base silicate hypophosphite electrolyte led to an increase in the hardness of micro-arc oxidation coatings. Electrochemical polarization studies and impedance data showed that the best characteristics in terms of corrosion-protective ability among coatings formed in electrolytes with graphene oxide additives were those formed in the electrolyte with a graphene oxide concentration of 0.1 g·L−l. A further increase in the graphene oxide concentration in the electrolyte did not improve the protective properties of micro-arc oxidation coatings.