Chromium Oxide/Cerium Oxide Nanocoating and Thermal Treatment to Enhance the Corrosion Resistance of 2024‐T3 Aluminum Alloy for Industrial Applications

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this work is to emphasize the significance of enhancing the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys by engineering their surfaces with a nanocoating layer, specifically through the design of a chromium oxide/cerium oxide (Cr 2 O 3 /CeO 2 ) nanocomposite (NCP). The separation method was employed to fabricate the CeO 2 /Cr 2 O 3 NCP coating, followed by a calcination step. The CeO 2 /Cr 2 O 3 nanocoating layer was developed through a thermal treatment at 600 °C to produce an anticorrosion coating suitable for various applications, including automotive and marine structures. The morphology and crystal structure of the nanocoating were characterized using x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM). Electrochemical performance and surface morphology under seawater conditions were evaluated using a potentiostat system and FE‐SEM. Furthermore, corrosion tests were performed on the coated Al‐alloy in seawater, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) was utilized to monitor surface changes on the alloy resulting from the corrosion process. The results confirm the high effectiveness of the CeO 2 /Cr 2 O 3 nanocoating in providing corrosion protection under seawater conditions. Consequently, the CeO 2 /Cr 2 O 3 nanocoating can be considered a promising candidate for use as an anticorrosion layer in applications that demand durable and corrosion‐resistant materials, particularly in harsh environments such as automotive and marine structures.