SEM, EDS, and XPS characterization of coatings obtained on titanium during AC plasma electrolytic process enriched in magnesium

Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) known also as Micro Arc Oxidation (MAO) process is widely used to fabricate porous coatings on titanium and its alloys mainly in water- and acid-based solutions to different applications, e.g. in biomaterials, catalysts, and sensors. In the present paper, the SEM, EDS, and XPS results of porous coatings obtained by PEO treatment on titanium in electrolytes based on concentrated phosphoric H3PO4 acid with calcium nitrate tetrahydrate Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, or magnesium nitrate hexahydrate Mg(NO3)2·6H2O, or zinc nitrate hexahydrate Zn(NO3)2·6H2O for 3 minutes at 200 Vpp (peak to peak) with frequency of 50 Hz, are presented. Based on EDS results, the Ca/P, Mg/P, and Zn/P ratios, which equal to 0.95, 0.176, and 0.231, respectively, were found out. The XPS studies of the top 10 nm of the porous layer clearly indicate that it contains mainly phosphates (PO4 3− and/or HPO4 2− and/or H2PO4 − , and/or P2O7 4− ) with titanium (Ti4+) and calcium (Ca2+) or magnesium (Mg2+), or zinc (Zn2+)