Effects of Alloying Elements on the Corrosion Behavior of Sputter–deposited Zr–(12–21)Cr–W Alloys in 0.5 M NaCl Solution

Abstract

The synergistic effect of the simultaneous additions of tungsten and zirconium in the
sputter-deposited amorphous or nanocrystalline Zr-(12-21)Cr-W alloys is studied in 0.5 M
NaCl solution open to air at 25°C using corrosion tests and open circuit potential
measurements. Corrosion rates of the sputter-deposited Zr-(12-21)Cr-W alloys containing
10-80 at % tungsten (that is, 0.95-1.85 x 10^-2 mm.y^-1) are more than one order of magnitude
lower than that of the sputter-deposited tungsten and even lower than those of zirconium as
well as chromium in 0.5 M NaCl solution. The addition of 8-73 at % zirconium content in
the sputter-deposited binary W-(12-21)Cr alloys seems to be more effective to improve the
corrosion-resistant properties of the sputter-deposited ternary Zr-Cr-W alloys containing
12-21 at % chromium in 0.5 M NaCl solution. The sputter-deposited Zr-(17-21)Cr-W alloys
containing an adequate amounts of zirconium metal showed the more stable passivity and
showed higher corrosion resistance than those of alloy-constituting elements in 0.5 M NaCl
solution open to air at 25°C.

Keywords: Zr-(12-21)Cr-W alloys, sputter deposition, corrosion test, open circuit potential,
0.5 M NaCl.

DOI:  10.3126/jncs.v25i0.3305

Journal of Nepal Chemical Society Volume 25, 2010 pp 75-82