Corrosion Resistance of TiN Films in 3% NaCl Solution

Abstract

The paper examines the corrosion behavior of polycrystalline textured and amorphous TiN films in 3% NaCl solution. It is shown that TiN films are oxidized by pitting corrosion. The main cause of corrosion instability of polycrystalline textured films is interaction with admixtures (in particular, oxygen and carbon admixtures) that form "clouds" around the grain boundaries and of amorphous—crystalline films with associated interfaces. The corrosion resistance of polycrystalline textured films decreases with higher thermal stresses resulting from different coefficients of thermal expansion of the film and substrate. The corrosion resistance of the amorphous-crystalline TiN films is about 700 times higher than that of bulk TiN powder material and 2—10 times higher than that of polycrystalline textured films.