Development of porous anodic films on 2014-T4 aluminium alloy in tetraborate electrolyte

Anodic film growth on 2014-T4 aluminium alloy at 60 V in 50 g l −1 di-sodium tetraborate at 60 °C has been examined by transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Initial film growth proceeds at relatively high efficiency on the initially etched and desmutted alloy. During the subsequent period of current decline, the reactive electrolyte species penetrate the outer film at preferred regions, establishing conditions for pore development by field-assisted dissolution. In the alkaline electrolyte, such field-assisted dissolution also appears to proceed locally, probably through mechanical disruption of the film, giving rise to a feathered film morphology. The oxidation of copper from the alloy, in the presence of an enriched layer of copper, developed largely by initial etching, also influences film morphology through parallel oxygen gas generation, creating oxygen-filled voids. Such gas-filled voids may rupture or be removed from the alumina film material through field-assisted dissolution at the pore base. In the former case, cracking allows access of the anodizing electrolyte to the enriched alloy/film interface, with subsequent dissolution of the enriched layer and local film growth; these give rise to lateral porosity in addition to that from pores passing perpendicularly to the alloy surface. The efficiency of anodizing is about 12%, with losses from Al 3+ ion ejection, field-assisted dissolution, oxygen gas generation, film rupture, interface dissolution and local film repair.