The effects of pH and temperature of a stannate bath oil the quality of stannate chemical conversion coatings formed on AZ91 D magnesium allo by using the potentiostatic polarization technique at E= -1.1 V were investigated in order to improve uniformity and corrosion protection performance of the coating films. It was found that the uniformity and corrosion resistance of coating films deposited by potentiostatic polarization were closely associated with pH and temperature of the coating bath. The pH and temperature to Obtain the best coating film were investigated as a function of corrosion protection performance evaluated by curves of potentiodynainic anodic polarization Conducted in borate buffer solution. Scanning, electron microscope observation and electrochemical corrosion tests of the stannate-coated samples confirmed significant improvement ill Uniformity and corrosion resistivity of,coating films deposited by the potentiostatic technique by modifying the pH and temperature of the coating bath. It was also found that uniformity and corrosion resistivity of the coating films deposited by the potentiostatic technique were considerably improved compared to those of coatings deposited by the simple immersion method at the best conditions of pH and temperature of the coating bath. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.