In situ-grown CuAl-layered double hydroxide on AA6082: corrosion resistance and Fenton-like catalytic degradation of methyl orange

Abstract A protective thin film based on CuAl layered double hydroxide (CuAl-LDHs) was synthesized directly on aluminum AA6082, and the potential catalytic performance was analyzed towards a multifunctional protective coating system. The structural characteristics of the developed system were subsequently analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The investigation was extended to potentiodynamic polarization studies, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis over 72 h to analyze the corrosion resistance properties. Exploiting these properties further, the catalytic properties of the CuAl-LDHs for the degradation of methyl orange were analyzed through a Fenton-like process. The findings demonstrated the protective efficacy of CuAl-LDH in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution and its Fenton-like catalytic activity in the degradation of methyl orange (MO). The degradation efficiency of MO was significantly influenced by variations in H₂O₂ dosage (0–2 mL) and reaction temperature (25–40 °C). Notably, the as-prepared CuAl-LDH, with its high copper concentration, achieved up to 60% degradation of MO within 120 min at room temperature.