Influence of Cerium on Corrosion of AZ91 Magnesium Alloy

Effect of cerium addition on corrosion resistance of AZ91 magnesium alloy was investigated using the static weight loss and polarization curve method as well as metallographical observation. The results indicate that a small amount of cerium （0.2%～0.8%） in AZ91 magnesium alloy can significantly reduce the corrosion rate, enhance the electrode voltage and lower corrosion current density in 3.5%NaCl aqueous solution, and AZ91-0.8%Ce alloy has better corrosion resistant performance. The reason for increasing corrosion resistance is attributed to the addition of Ce, refining the α-Mg grain, reducing the segregation of element Al, and improving the morphologies of β-Mg17Al12 phases.