Corrosion Resistance of Ni-P Composite Coating on Mg Alloy： Critical Role of the Intermediate Phosphate Conversion Coating Layer for Suppressing Galvanic Couple Formation

Electroless nickel (EN) plating can give rise to the severe galvanic corrosion of the magnesium (Mg) alloy matrix, owing to its nobler electrochemical potential than Mg alloy. To hinder the formation of galvanic couple, an intermediate phosphate conversion coating (PCC) layer is introduced between the EN layer and the Mg alloy matrix. Since the ceramic-like PCC layer cannot be catalyzed, a low-cost Ag-activation technique is used to process the PCC layer before electroless plating. The cross-section morphology and element distribution of the PCC-EN composite coating indicate that the PCC intermediate layer can effectively separate the Mg alloy from the EN layer. Moreover, the results of electrochemical tests suggest that the PCC-EN composite coating has a better corrosion resistance in comparison with the EN coating and AZ91D Mg alloy.