Electrochemical Studies of The Corrosion Resistance of Bismuth Titanate Thin Films Deposited by RF Sputtering

Abstract

Thin films of bismuth titanate were grown on stainless steel (316L) and titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) substrates using the magnetron sputtering technique. The surface morphology of these films was observed with a scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The electrochemical studies used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the substrate-coating set were the potentiodynamic polarization (Tafel) tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), both done in a solution of NaCl (3%) as an electrolyte. The SEM showed that the morphology of the coatings grown on a titanium alloy Ti6Al4V substrate was generally homogeneous with a smooth surface but with unmelted material in some regions, while the morphology of the thin films grown on stainless steel 316L was mainly granular, with the presence of a few holes or craters. The potentiodynamic polarization curves showed that the corrosion resistance of the coated samples was better than that of the bare substrate because the corrosion current obtained from the coated samples was lower by two orders of magnitude than that exhibited by the uncoated substrates, and in addition, the corrosion potential of the coated samples was greater than that of the bare substrate. The EIS test showed the presence of a passive thin film of titanium oxide on the titanium alloy substrate.