Herein, a study of the surface modification of zirconium by anodic oxidation is reported. The oxidation process was carried out in a solution containing K2SiO3 and KOH. The anodization was conducted at voltages of 100, 200 and 400 V. It was found that the morphology of the surface did not change during the oxidation of the zirconium at 100 and 200 V. The application of 400 V resulted in the incorporation of silicon into the formed oxide layer and a significant modification of the surface morphology. The obtained coatings are typical of coating produced during an electrolytic plasma oxidation process and contain a considerable amount of silicon. The anodic oxidation of zirconium leads to a significant improvement in the corrosion resistance of the material in the presence of Ringer's physiological solution. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.