Aluminum alloy articles exhibiting improved bond durability and methods of making the same

A pretreated aluminum alloy article comprising an aluminum alloy:

• a first surface portion of the aluminum alloy comprising excess Si, wherein the excess Si is present in the first surface portion of the aluminum alloy in an amount greater than 1.4 wt. %, wherein excess Si content is calculated by subtracting from total Si content the Si needed for Mg2Si, which is Mg/1.72, and for an Fe-containing phase, which is Fe/3;
• and
• a surface pretreatment layer consisting essentially of one or more Si-containing compounds,
• wherein either one of the first surface portion of the aluminum alloy or the one or more Si-containing compounds comprises O,
• wherein Si-O-Si bonding interactions exist between the excess Si present in the first surface portion of the aluminum alloy and the one or more Si-containing compounds present in the surface pretreatment layer, and
• wherein the surface pretreatment layer is adhered to the aluminum alloy.