Influence of Fe film by FCVA deposition technique on properties of WE43 magnesium alloy

WE43 alloy was successfully coated with Fe films of varying thicknesses using filtered cathode vacuum arc technology. The physical phase composition, surface morphology, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the films were extensively investigated. The results demonstrate that a deposition time of 20 min for Fe ions exhibits minimal defects and low surface roughness. Compared to the WE43 substrate, the Fe20 alloy exhibits lower Icorr values at 81 μA/cm2, indicating enhanced corrosion resistance. Immersion experiments further confirm the superior integrity of the Fe20 film compared to other coated alloys tested. Notably, among all deposited modified alloys, Fe20 demonstrates significantly improved mechanical properties with its hardness and elastic modulus being three times higher than those of WE43, providing better wear resistance.