Investigation of nanostructured Al-based quasicrystal thin films for corrosion protection

Quasicrystals belong to a particular type of solids, which consist of highly symmetric atom clusters. The structure is neither periodically ordered, as in crystalline materials, nor amorphous, as in a glass. Recent work has shown that thin film quasicrystal coatings can have unique properties such as very high electrical and thermal resistivities and very low surface energy, which may result in interesting corrosion properties. For example, aluminum alloy based quasicrystals are insulator alloys containing about 70% of aluminum. Other interesting properties involving, for instance, adhesion, corrosion, friction, and hardness suggest that quasicrystal coatings are promising materials for a variety of industrial applications. The corrosion related properties of aluminum alloy based quasicrystal thin film coatings have been studied on coated AA2024 substrates. The thin film deposition parameters are briefly discussed. Results of the microstructural, surface chemistry, and surface energy analysis of the quasicrystal films are presented. The corrosion protection properties of the films have been studied by potentiodynamic scan and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Analysis of the electrochemical data indicates that nanostructured quasicrystal films significantly resist corrosion of AA2024-T3 substrates in a constant immersion environment.