Anodic coatings were obtained by micro arc oxidation on aluminum alloy 2024-T3 in a solution containing only 10 g/L sodium phytate. The morphology, composition, structure and corrosion resistance of anodic coatings were systematically investigated. The results show that the working voltage continually increases during 3 min and bright sparks appear after 25s. Anodic coatings are evenly formed on the substrate and about 2 mu m thick. XPS and XRD analyses reveal that the obtained coatings are mainly composed of alpha-Al2O3 and gamma-Al2O3. Compared with the substrate, the corrosion resistance of the anodized aluminum alloys is improved. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.