Effect of calcium addition on the corrosion behavior of Mg–5Al alloy

The corrosion behavior of four Mg–5Al–xCa alloys (x = 0.0 to 2.0 wt.%) was evaluated in an alkaline NaCl solution. Surface analyses indicated that the benefits of Ca addition are the refinement of the precipitates and a decrease in grain size. Furthermore, the refinement of the precipitates (Mg2Ca, Al2Ca) became more complete with increasing of Ca content. The electrochemical tests revealed that the pitting resistance was improved in Ca-containing specimens. In addition, the polarization resistance of the Mg–5Al specimens increased with increasing Ca content. This is due to the fact that precipitation which is expected to act as a barrier is more continuous over the Mg matrix with a smaller grain size and higher precipitation density.