Systematic Investigation of Silicon Content Effects on the PEO Coatings’ Properties on Al–Si Binary Alloys in Silicate-Based and Tungstate-Containing Electrolytes

The present study evaluates the effect of a substrate’s silicon content on the coatings’ morphology, structure, and properties in an electrolyte containing sodium tungstate on Al–xSi alloys. The PEO-coated samples demonstrated the structure of the pancake and crater with irregular micro-cracks and micro-pores. The incorporation of the element W in the coatings decreased the surface roughness and porosity due to increasing the electrolyte conductivity and, hence, decreasing the breakdown voltage and intensity of micro-discharges. The friction coefficient of all the coatings stayed constant during the wear test due to the contact of the ball with the inner layer with less porosity and higher micro-hardness. The track depth to the thickness ratio of the coatings was found to be 0.60–0.75 for those without additive coatings and 0.55–0.65 for those with additive coatings. As a result, the higher wear rates, volume losses, track widths, and depths in the specimens with a lower silicon content of the substrate were found due to the greater thickness of the coating and the outer sublayer for both specimens with and without Na2WO4. The coatings formed using the W-containing electrolyte showed a higher micro-hardness and a lower wear rate in comparison with the coatings produced in the silicate-based electrolyte.