Performance of Low Absorption Thermal Control Coatings Prepared by Secondary Composite Micro-arc Oxidation for MgZnSc Magnesium Alloy

WANG Jingrun; BAI Jingying; LI Sizhen; ZHAO Kuo; HAO Yanan; CHEN Xianhua; WEN Chen; CHENG De; SONG Baowei; GUAN Hongwei; YANG Tieshan; HE Yanlong; YAO Xuezheng; WANG Xuguang; ZHENG Jiaotan

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.20.022

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Surface Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (20) : 291-301. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.20.022

Performance of Low Absorption Thermal Control Coatings Prepared by Secondary Composite Micro-arc Oxidation for MgZnSc Magnesium Alloy

WANG Jingrun^1,*, BAI Jingying^1,2, LI Sizhen¹, ZHAO Kuo¹, HAO Yanan¹, CHEN Xianhua², WEN Chen¹, CHENG De¹, SONG Baowei¹, GUAN Hongwei¹, YANG Tieshan¹, HE Yanlong¹, YAO Xuezheng¹, WANG Xuguang¹, ZHENG Jiaotan¹

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Abstract

The structural components of spacecraft frames are made of MgZnSc magnesium alloy, but there are issues such as insufficient corrosion resistance and thermal control performance of the magnesium alloy, which need to be addressed through functionalization treatment. However, the hemispherical emissivity of the micro-arc oxidation coating formed by single oxidation of silicon salt micro-arc oxidation is generally below 0.85, which is difficult to meet the usage requirements. Simply using zirconium salt for micro-arc oxidation has problems such as difficulty in starting the arc in the early reaction and easy roughness of the oxidation coating after prolonged oxidation time.
This article focuses on the surface thermal control application requirements of spacecraft products, taking magnesium alloy materials as the research object. A low absorption white thermal control coating was successfully prepared on the surface of MgZnSc magnesium alloy by silicon zirconium salt secondary micro-arc oxidation, and the thermal control performance and microstructure of the coating were analyzed. A white micro-arc oxidation thermal control coating with low solar absorption ratio and high hemispherical emissivity was prepared on the surface of MgZnSc magnesium alloy by secondary composite micro-arc oxidation using a silicon salt and zirconium salt system. The thermal control performance and microstructure of the coating were analyzed. A PE lambda 950 solar absorption ratio tester and an AE-1 radiometer were used to test the solar absorption ratio and hemispherical emissivity of the sample. The surface microstructure and chemical composition were observed with a ZEISS SUPER 55VP scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). A Bruker AXS X-ray diffractometer was used for X-ray diffraction (XRD) phase analysis.
The microstructure of the coating presents a micro nano snowflake like structure, with low absorption ratios in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared bands. The lowest solar absorption ratio is 0.26, and the highest hemispherical emissivity is 0.90. The coating thickness of zirconium salt micro-arc oxidation increases slowly, with an oxidation thickness of less than 20 μm after 15 minutes of oxidation. However, the coating thickness of secondary composite oxidation increases rapidly, with a thickness of up to 35.4 μm after 15 minutes of oxidation. This can quickly increase the coating thickness and avoid the instability of the oxidation coating caused by the slow growth of the coating in the early zirconium salt reaction. The changes in oxygen, silicon, and zirconium content indicate that when the secondary composite oxidation time exceeds 30 minutes, the surface chemical composition tends to stabilize. The XRD test structure shows that when magnesium alloy is only subject to silicate micro-arc oxidation, the main component of the micro-arc oxidation film formed on the surface of the magnesium alloy is MgSiO₃. In the initial stage of secondary oxidation in zirconium salt, the micro-arc oxidation film layer of magnesium fluoride formed on the surface gradually increases with the extension of oxidation time in zirconium salt. The diffraction peaks of zirconium compounds such as ZrO₂ and Zr(PO₄)₃ gradually increase, while the diffraction peaks of MgSiO₃ and MgF gradually decrease. At this time, the surface of magnesium alloy is mainly composed of zirconium oxide. After thermal shock test and thermal cycle test, the appearance of the secondary composite micro-arc oxidation coating is uniform and consistent, without cracking, peeling, blistering and other phenomena. The coating has good adhesion and can withstand the complex environment of high and low temperature alternating cycles in the space environment.
After secondary composite oxidation of silicon salt and zirconium salt system, a micro-arc oxidation coating with low solar absorption ratio and high hemispherical emissivity thermal control performance is formed on the surface of MgZnSc magnesium alloy. The main component is white micro-arc oxide with reflective effect, which is beneficial for reflecting solar radiation and other heat, reducing the absorption ratio of magnesium alloy surface to solar spectral energy. The surface of magnesium alloy has changed from metal to metal oxide, and its emissivity is further improved by doping with high emissivity oxide and increasing its thickness.

Key words

magnesium alloy / micro-arc oxidation / solar absorptance / thermal control coating / hemispheric emissivity

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WANG Jingrun, BAI Jingying, LI Sizhen, ZHAO Kuo, HAO Yanan, CHEN Xianhua, WEN Chen, CHENG De, SONG Baowei, GUAN Hongwei, YANG Tieshan, HE Yanlong, YAO Xuezheng, WANG Xuguang, ZHENG Jiaotan. Performance of Low Absorption Thermal Control Coatings Prepared by Secondary Composite Micro-arc Oxidation for MgZnSc Magnesium Alloy[J]. Surface Technology. 2025, 54(20): 291-301 https://doi.org/10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.20.022

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