Ion Patrascu

Zinc-based alloys have been extensively studied for their potential applications in biodegradable materials, yet their corrosion behaviour necessitates the development of effective surface treatments. In this study, a ZnMg alloy was developed by casting in an inert medium and subsequently treating it with Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO). The corrosion behaviour was characterised in a 0.9% NaCl solution through Tafel polarisation, cyclic polarisation, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Additionally, the surface morphology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX analysis. The structure and phases of the oxide layer and of the corrosion products were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical results demonstrated a substantial decrease in the corrosion current density and an increase in the polarisation resistance for the treated samples. Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) modelling revealed the formation of a layer exhibiting distinct capacitive behaviour, comprising two distinct regions. XRD analysis confirmed evidence of corrosion compounds characteristic of chlorinated media on the surface. The findings indicated that PEO treatment enhanced the corrosion resistance of the ZnMg alloy, suggesting its suitability for biomedical applications or exposure to marine environments characterised by high levels of corrosion.

In this article, we present in a unified form the theoretical results regarding the concepts of pole and polar with respect to a circle, and as applications of these, we offer a demonstration of Newton’s theorem related to the circumscribed quadrilateral and a demonstration of a theorem usually derived as a particular case of Pascal’s theorem related to the inscribed hexagon.

The plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) surface modification technique was employed for improving the mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of the AZ63 magnesium alloy. Different PEO processing times (5, 10 and 20 min) in a 10 g/L NaAlO2 electrolyte, with no other additives, led to the formation of ceramic coatings with mean thicknesses between 15 and 37 microns. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the porosity of the coatings decreased with processing time, but an increase in roughness was observed. X-Ray diffraction phase analysis indicated a coating structure composed of majority magnesium aluminate spinel. The corrosion rate of the coated samples decreased with an order of magnitude compared with the bare alloy. The average micro-hardness values of the PEO-coated samples was up to five times higher than those of the AZ63 alloy.