Abstract
Real world aluminum anodes are more complex than what is specified in handbooks, making the anodizing reaction more complicated than a simple textbook aluminum oxidation reaction. Understanding alloy chemistry and microstructural development aids in creating a virtual picture of the aluminum anode surface before any actual surface treatment is done. In this chapter, the characteristics of aluminum and its microstructural development are presented in the context of cast and wrought alloy chemistries, their constitutive phases, and the intermetallic particles that comprise the microstructural features of the substrate, and how they are affected by manufacturing. Common alloy and temper designations are presented that explain how variations in chemistry and heat treatment are connected to variations in the microstructure. Whether at the atomic or micro- or macroscopic level, the population, distribution, and size of defects and interfaces across the surface affect the structure and appearance of the anodic oxide; the picture developed is a useful vantage point when the image becomes the interface from which the anodic oxide grows. This image is also integral to the design step of alloy selection when the anodic oxide is the finish of choice for engineering applications.
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Runge, J.M. (2018). Metallurgy Basics for Aluminum Surfaces. In: The Metallurgy of Anodizing Aluminum. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72177-4_4
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