Formation of Chromate Conversion Coatings on Aluminum and Its Alloys

We used in situ X-ray adsorption near-edge structure (XANES) to investigate the formation of chromate conversion coatings on pure Al, commercial Al alloys (AA 1100, AA2024, and AA7075), and a series of binary Al-Cu alloys. The method employed a new electrochemical cell that can determine the ratio of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) to total chromium (Cr(total)) speciation in conversion coatings as a function of exposure time to a chromate solution. The spectra showed that the initial Cr(VI)/Cr(total) ratios are greater than later ones for pure Al and AA1100, but not for AA2024 and AA7075. Measurements with Al-Cu alloys demonstrated that the difference observed in AA2024 and AA7075 may not be due to Cu alloying. The proportion of Cr(VI) in the coatings becomes approximately constant after 180 s of exposure for all the specimens examined even though the coatings continue to grow.