Anodic Polarization of Titanium Carbide TiC_x in 3% NaCl Solution in the Homogeneity Range

Abstract

The potentiodynamic polarization curves, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and Auger electron spectroscopy are employed to study the kinetics and mechanism of electrochemical oxidation of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric samples of titanium carbide TiC_х in the homogeneity range (x = 0.5–1.0). All compounds in the TiC_0.6 → TiC_1.0 row tend to reduce in the surface film formed by TiO and TiO₂ and a very small amount of the TiO₂ phase. The stoichiometric TiC_1.0 sample shows the highest resistance to anodic oxidation because it has the strongest Ti—C bonds formed completely in its lattice.