Abstract:The gray phosphate coating was formed on AZ91D magnesium alloy from the zinc phosphating bath containing sodium metanitrobenzene sulphonate in about 4 min. The structure, surface morphologies and phase compositions of the phosphate coatings were observed and analyzed by using SEM, XRD and EDS. It is shown that the phosphate coating becomes denser and has less micro holes with increasing the concentration of sodium metanitrobenzene sulphonate in the bath in the range of 2.0 to 6.0 g/L. The addition of sodium metanitrobenzene sulphonate greatly increases the micro cathode sites for the formation of the phosphate coating and decreases the porosity of the coating.

Key words: zinc phosphate coating; magnesium alloy; AZ91D; sodium metanitrobenzene sulphonate; phosphating process