저널

In this study, two novel methods to measure the surface hardness of anodic oxide films on aluminum alloys are reported. The first method is to impregnate oil-based ink into pores in the anodic oxide film and then to clean the ink on the surface using ethanol, resulting in an impregnation of inks only inside of the pores in anodic oxide film. The second method is to coat the anodic oxide film surface with thin Au layer less than 0.1 ?. Both the ink-impregnating method and Au-coating method provided clear indentation marks on the anodic oxide film surface when it was indented using a pyramidal-diamond penetrator. Thus, Vickers hardness of anodic oxide films on aluminium alloy could be measured successfully and precisely from the anodic film surface. In addition, advantages and disadvantages of the ink-impregnating method and Au-coating method for the measurement of surface hardness of anodic oxide films are discussed.

Surface hardness;Anodic oxide film;Anodizing;Al alloy;