Effects of atmospheric pressure plasma JET treatment on aluminium alloys

In this paper, the effect of surface treatments carried out with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet, generated by air, on the passive film of AA1071 and AA2024 was investigated. The samples of the aluminium alloys, before and after the surface plasma treatments, were analysed by secondary ions mass spectrometry depth profiling and by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Potentiodynamic anodic polarisation tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were carried out to study the influence of the surface plasma treatments on the corrosion resistance properties of the Al alloys. The plasma treatments induced the oxidation of the surface and the formation of a thicker and denser passive layer, which exhibited higher corrosion resistance than the native film.