Improving anodizing efficiency by adding different amounts of aluminum powder to anodizing electrolyte for pure aluminum and aluminum alloy (6063)‎

Abstract EN

Different amounts of aluminum powder (5, 7, 9 and 11 g / l) were added to sulfuric acid solution of the specimens under ideal conditions previously obtained (1) and the effect of these additions was studied to find out it's benefit on anodizing efficiency for pure aluminum and aluminum alloy (6063).

The specimens were examined in different conditions using optical microscope, roughness and hardness measurements.

The study shows the anodizing process was improved by adding aluminum powder with ideal conditions and the best value of aluminum powder was 9 g / l, where the thickness improved from 72.25 μm at ideal conditions to 81.25 μm with adding 9 g / l aluminum powder and the coating ratio improved from 1.481 at ideal conditions to 1.541 with adding 9 g / l aluminum powder for pure aluminum, while the thickness improved from 74.56 μm at ideal conditions to 82.29 μm with adding 9 g / l aluminum powder and the coating ratio improved from 1.417 at ideal conditions to 1.471 with adding 9 g / l aluminum powder for aluminum alloy (6063).

The study also shows that the effective anodic current efficiency was increased about 12.50 % when adding aluminum powder of 9 g / l compared with ideal conditions for pure aluminum, while this value was increased about 10.20 % when adding aluminum powder of 9 g / l compared with ideal conditions for aluminum alloy (6063) without adding aluminum powder.

It is found that the surface roughness and hardness value of specimens with adding aluminum powder of 9 g / l gives the best result compared with the specimens at ideal conditions and bare specimens.