ENHANCED ANODIZATION FUNCTIONALITY IN AL-RARE EARTH ELEMENT-BASED ALLOYS

A product includes an aluminum alloy having an anodized layer. The alloy has a bulk composition including at least 1 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements (REEs). A product includes microstructures extending across a boundary defined between an anodized layer and an unoxidized alloy. Each microstructure includes an intermetallic phase transitioning to an oxidized intermetallic phase across the boundary. A product includes an anodized layer where up to 90% of a thickness of the layer includes voids resulting at least in part from dissolution of a rare earth element oxidized intermetallic phase. The voids are in a morphology of the dissolved oxidized intermetallic phase.