Plasma electrolytic oxidation

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), also known as electrolytic plasma oxidation (EPO) or microarc oxidation (MAO), is an electrochemical surface treatment process for generating oxide coatings on metals. It is similar to anodizing, but it employs higher potentials, so that discharges occur and the resulting plasma modifies the structure of the oxide layer. This process can be used to grow thick (tens or hundreds of micrometers), largely crystalline, oxide coatings on metals such as aluminium, magnesium and titanium. Because they can present high hardness and a continuous barrier, these coatings can offer protection against wear, corrosion or heat as well as electrical insulation. The coating is a chemical conversion of the substrate metal into its oxide, and grows both inwards and outwards from the original metal surface. Because it grows inward into the substrate, it has excellent adhesion to the substrate metal. A wide range of substrate alloys can be coated, including all wrought aluminum alloys and most cast alloys, although high levels of silicon can reduce coating quality. Metals such as aluminum naturally form a passivating oxide layer which provides moderate protection against corrosion. The layer is strongly adherent to the metal surface, and it will regrow quickly if scratched off. In conventional anodizing, this layer of oxide is grown on the surface of the metal by the application of electrical potential, while the part is immersed in an acidic electrolyte. In plasma electrolytic oxidation, higher potentials are applied. For example, in the plasma electrolytic oxidation of aluminum, at least 200 V must be applied. This locally exceeds the dielectric breakdown potential of the growing oxide film, and discharges occur. These discharges result in localized plasma reactions, with conditions of high temperature and pressure which modify the growing oxide. Processes include melting, melt-flow, re-solidification, sintering and densification of the growing oxide.