In this work, ceramic coatings were prepared on Al7075 aluminum alloy using microarc oxidation (MAO) process in a silicate-fluoride based electrolyte solution. The effect of OH− concentration, by adding NaOH to the solution on the microstructural and mechanical properties of the coating was investigated. Surface morphology and cross sectional view of the coating was analyzed using SEM while XRD was used to examine the phase compositions of the coatings. From XRD α-Al2O3 phase was found to be increased by adding NaOH to the electrolyte. Thereby, the hardness and the wear properties of the MAO coatings were found to be superior to those of the coatings prepared without NaOH addition or with amount maximum than 2 g/l NaOH. Moreover, the morphology of the coatings was transformed form nodule-based cluster to crater based structure with the addition of NaOH to the MAO electrolyte solution.

1. Introduction
 2. Experimental Method
 3. Results and Discussions
 4. Conclusion
 Acknowledgment
 References

• Zeeshan Ur Rehman(School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773, South Korea)
• Dong-Gun Lee(School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773, South Korea)
• Bon Heun Koo(School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773, South Korea) Corresponding author