Pulsed plasma electrolytic processes for coating and surface treatments

Plasma electrolytic processes combine conventional electrolysis with a plasma discharge which can under certain conditions be generated at the metal-electrolyte interface. This allows effective modification of metal surfaces and deposition of coatings with unique properties. The project objectives are to develop novel processes of plasma electrolytic surface treatment, which can be used in a wide range of industrial applications. These include oxide ceramic coatings for wear and corrosion protection of lightweight metals (e.g. Mg, Al, Ti, and their alloys), environmentally friendly surface cleaning/coating processes for Cd replacement, new coating materials and structures for biomedical applications, etc.

The investigations are focused on achieving an improved insight into the nature of electrolytic plasma discharges, with both plasma-metal and plasma-electrolyte interactions being considered. Various spectroscopic methods are employed for the discharge characterisation, along with current/voltage probing, video imaging and other techniques. Particular emphasis is given to the studies of pulsed bipolar modes of electrolysis, for which the effects of electrolyte composition and current pulse parameters are investigated, with an outlook to the process control and optimisation. The coatings are characterised using advanced methods of SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, etc. Testing will also be carried out to evaluate the performance of the modified surfaces.