The oxide-film structure on the 5052 Al alloy and the film-removal mechanism by activated CsF-AlF3 flux in brazing were studied. Characterisation of the oxide film shows that thermally activated Mg, segregated from the alloy's interior, was significantly enriched and oxidised during medium-temperature brazing. Thus, the outer oxide surface consisted of the amorphous MgO-like phase, and the interior of the oxide film comprised mainly the amorphous MgO-like phase and dispersely distributed and less-ordered MgAl2O4. The MgO-like phase was the main obstacle to oxide removal in brazing. The activated ZnCl2-containing CsF-AlF3 flux effectively removed the oxide film, and the 5052 Al alloy was successfully brazed by the Zn-Al filler metal and activated flux. When Zn2+ in the molten flux permeated the oxide film through cracks, its chemical reaction with the Al substrate loosened the oxide film, which was eventually pushed out as the filler metal spread over the alloy surface. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.