In Mg alloys, corrosion behavior is known to be related to the microstructure. For example, AZ91D alloy contains an α matrix phase (Mg solid solution), β phases (Mg₁₇Al₁₂₎ and lamellar α+β microstructures. During the real-time in situ observation of the corrosion process under galvanostatic polarization, filiform corrosion proceeded along the outside of the β-phase (in lamellar α + β microstructure and along the α-mother phase[1]. However, the detailed mechanism of the initiation and growth of filiform corrosion is still unknown. An electrode area contains simplified α + β structure is needed to clarify the corrosion mechanism of Mg alloys. The fabrication of such specimen could be actualized by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS).

The advantage of SPS is that it can produce specimens with high efficiency and few pores. The energy from the pulsed current, self-heating of the workpiece, and particle-to-particle discharge are the combined driving force for sintering. In recent years, many experiments have been reported on the fabrication and strength evaluation of pure Mg and Mg alloys. However, only a few studies have been conducted on the fabrication and corrosion resistance of different phases.

In this study, we attempted to fabricate the interface of β and α phases by SPS using pure Al powder and pure Mg powder and other materials. The characterization of different phases was carried out by XRD, EPMA and TEM. The corrosion behavior of the sintered specimens was then observed using an in-situ observation system during open circuit potential measurements. After measurements, the specimen surface was assessed using OM, AES, and FE-SEM.

When a 0.25 mm thick Mg sheet was surrounded by pure Al powder, the temperature was set at 420 °C and kept for 30 minutes, a uniform white microstructure was found to form around the Mg sheet. The thickness is about 50 µm. EDS maps and point analysis show that this phase consists a β-phase (Mg₁₇Al₁₂) on the Mg sheet side and Mg₂₃Al₃₀ on the Al powder side. The thickness of the β-phase did not change obviously when the sintering time was extended to 1 hour. Finally, a β phase with a thickness of about 100 μm could be fabricated by using a specimen assembly method of outer Al powder, intermediate layer Mg powder. Analysis of corrosion behavior was done with this specimen.

1. Z. Shao, M. Nishimoto, I. Muto, and Y. Sugawara, Corrosion Science, 192, 109834 (2021).