8. Conclusion

A wide range of corrosion protection options are available for aluminum alloys, making these metallic materials adaptable to many environments. The choice between thin coatings (chemical conversion), thick coatings (anodizing) and very thick coatings (painting) must take into account a specification with multiple properties encompassing anti-corrosion efficiency, but also mechanical resistance or aesthetic appearance.

In practice, the effect of various treatments on corrosion protection can be difficult to assess. This is why it's important to take into account the interlinking of surface treatment operations.

Degreasing and pickling are very important operations, as they can remove surface intermetallic phases (responsible for defects in protective coatings) and homogenize the chemical reactivity of aluminum alloy surfaces. Similarly, the...