The surface of Mg alloy, AZ31 and AZ91, were treated by PEO (plasma electrolytic oxidation) in Na-P system electrolyte, with different applied voltage and time. Thickness, roughness and X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed several results. The more applied time and voltage of PEO treated, the thicker oxidized surface coating layer were covered. And surface roughness increased with the thickness of oxidized layer. It was thought that when oxide layer grew, resistivity and breakdown voltage increased with the thickness of layer, and then, the energy of micro plasma need to be higher then before. So, it made craters and pores of surface become greater, which were responsible for the coarse surface.

Effect of electrolyte composition and concentration on PEO coating layer were investigated. Mg alloy, Surface of AZ31 and AZ91 were oxidized using PEO with different electrolyte system, Na-P and Na-Si. and applied voltage and concentration. We measured thickness, roughness, X-ray crystallographic analysis and breakdown voltage of the oxidized layer. When increasing concentration of electrolyte, the thickness of oxide layer also increased too. And roughness also increased as concentration of electrolyte increasing. Breakdown voltage of coated layer showed same behavior, the voltage goes high as increasing thickness of coating layer, as increasing concentration of electrolyte, and increasing applied voltage of PEO. Mg2SiO4 phase were observed as well as MgO.