Corrosion prevention of magnesium surfaces via surface conversion treatments using ionic liquids

1. A method for conversion coating a magnesium-containing surface, the method comprising contacting the magnesium-containing surface with an ionic liquid compound under conditions that result in decomposition of the ionic liquid compound to produce a conversion coated magnesium-containing surface having a substantially improved corrosion resistance relative to the magnesium-containing surface before said conversion coating, wherein said decomposition results in breakage of one or more covalent bonds in a cationic or anionic component of the ionic liquid, wherein said conditions comprise tribological treatment of the magnesium-containing surface during contact of the magnesium-containing surface with said ionic liquid compound.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said conditions further comprise heating said ionic liquid compound to a temperature at which the ionic liquid compound decomposes.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said temperature is at least 100° C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said temperature is at least 150° C.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said temperature is at least 200° C.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said conditions further comprise heating said ionic liquid compound to a temperature of at least 80° C. at which the ionic liquid compound decomposes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said tribological treatment comprises polishing of the magnesium-containing surface.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the magnesium-containing surface to an acid pickling step prior to contacting the magnesium-containing surface with an ionic liquid compound under conditions that result in decomposition of the ionic liquid compound.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising subjecting the magnesium-containing surface to an alkaline conditioning step after said acid pickling step and prior to contacting the magnesium-containing surface with an ionic liquid compound under conditions that result in decomposition of the ionic liquid compound.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ionic liquid compound has the general formula:

wherein:

Z is either N or P;

X − is an anionic component of the ionic liquid; and

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are each independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein said hydrocarbon group is optionally substituted with one or more heteroatoms selected from fluorine, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, and wherein, optionally, two or more of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 may be combined to form one or more cyclic groups that includes Z as a ring heteroatom, or two of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 may be combined to form a group linked to Z by a double bond;

provided that at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is a hydrocarbon group, and further provided that R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are all hydrocarbon groups when Z is P.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said ionic liquid compound has the general formula:

wherein R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a are each independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms, provided that at least one of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a is a hydrocarbon group.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a is selected from said hydrocarbon groups.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least two of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a are selected from said hydrocarbon groups.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least three of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a are selected from said hydrocarbon groups.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein all of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a are selected from said hydrocarbon groups.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a is a straight-chained or branched alkyl group having at least four carbon atoms and optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , and R 4a is a straight-chained or branched alkyl group having at least six carbon atoms and optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein said ionic liquid compound has the general formula:

wherein R 1b , R 2b , R 3b , and R 4b are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one of R 1b , R 2b , R 3b , and R 4b is a straight-chained or branched alkyl group having at least four carbon atoms and optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one of R 1b , R 2b , R 3b , and R 4b is a straight-chained or branched alkyl group having at least six carbon atoms and optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

21. The method of claim 10 , wherein X − is a phosphorus-containing anion.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion has the formula:

wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms, and R 5 and R 6 may optionally interconnect to form a ring; X 1 , X 2 , W, and Y are independently selected from O and S atoms; and subscripts r and s are independently selected from 0 and 1.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion has the formula:

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion has the formula:

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion has the formula:

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion has the formula:

wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms, and R 5 and R 6 may optionally interconnect to form a ring; and subscripts r and s are independently selected from 0 and 1.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion is an organophosphate anion of the formula:

wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion is an organophosphonate anion of the formula:

wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein said phosphorus-containing anion is an organophosphinate anion of the formula:

wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from hydrocarbon groups having at least one and up to twenty carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon groups are optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

30. The method of claim 22 , wherein said hydrocarbon groups are selected from straight-chained and branched alkyl groups having at least four carbon atoms.

31. The method of claim 22 , wherein said hydrocarbon groups are selected from straight-chained and branched alkyl groups having at least five carbon atoms.

32. The method of claim 22 , wherein said hydrocarbon groups are selected from straight-chained and branched alkyl groups having at least six carbon atoms.