The Corrosion Behavior of Sputter-deposited Ternary Zr-(12-18)Cr-W Alloys in 12 M HCl Solution

Abstract

Ternary amorphous or/and nanocrystalline Zr-(12–18)Cr–W alloys were successfully
prepared by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. The corrosion rates of Zr-(12-
18)Cr-W alloys are in the range of 1-2 x 10^-3 mm/y which are even lower than those of the
sputter-deposited binary W-Zr and W-Cr alloys, and are nearly one order of magnitude
lower corrosion rate than those of the alloy-constituting elements in 12 M HCl at 30°C,
open to air. All the examined sputter-deposited amorphous or/and nanocrystalline Zr-(12-
18)Cr–W alloys are passivated spontaneously. The zirconium addition suppresses the
anodic dissolution current, and hence the anodic current densities of the alloys decreased
with increasing the zirconium content in the alloys. It is, therefore, considered that the
simultaneous additions of zirconium and tungsten with 12-18 at% of chromium enhance
synergistically the corrosion-resistant and pitting corrosion of the sputter-deposited
Zr-(12-18)Cr-W alloys in 12 M HCl.

Keywords: Corrosion-resistant; Zr-Cr-W alloys; Electrochemical measurement; Pitting corrosion

DOI: 10.3126/jncs.v26i0.3625

Journal of Nepal Chemical Society
Vol. 26, 2010
Page: 13-21