Preparation and Properties of Cu-Containing High-entropy Alloy Nitride Films by Magnetron Sputtering on Titanium Alloy

Magnetron sputtering deposition with regulated Cu target power was used for depositing Cu-containing high-entropy alloy nitride(Cu-(HEA)N)films on TC4 titanium alloy substrates.The microscopic morphologies,surface compositions,and thicknesses of the films were characterized using SEM+EDS;the anti-corrosion,wear resistance and antibacterial properties of the films in simulated seawater were investigated.The experimental results show that all four Cu-(HEA)N films are uniformly dense and contained nanoparticles.The film with Cu doping come into contact with oxygen in the air to form cuprous oxide.The corrosion resistance of the(HEA)N film without Cu doping on titanium alloy is better than the films with Cu doping.The Cu-(HEA)N film with Cu target power of 16 W shows the best wear resistance and antibacterial performance,which is attributed to the fact that Cu can reduce the coefficient of friction and exacerbate corrosion,and the formation of cuprous oxide has antibacterial properties.The findings of this study provide insights for engineering applications of TC4 in the marine field.

Effects of acetic acid on microstructure and electrochemical properties of nano cerium oxide films coated on AA7020-T6 aluminum alloy

Nano cerium oxide films were applied on AA7020-T6 aluminum alloy and the effects of acetic acid concentration on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of the coated samples were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and potentiodynamic polarization methods. It has been found that by increasing the acetic acid/CeCl3·7H2O molar ratio, high uniform and crack-free films with well-developed grains were obtained and grain sizes of the films decreased. Elimination of cracks and decreasing grain size of the nano cerium oxide films caused corrosion resistance to increase.

Fabrication and characterization of anodic oxide films on a Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al titanium alloy

Anodic oxide films of the titanium alloy Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al in ammonium tartrate electrolyte without hydrofluoric acid or fluoride were fabricated. The morphology, components, and microstructure of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the films were thick, uniform, and nontransparent. Such films exhibited sedimentary morphology, with a thickness of about 3 μm, and the pore diameters of the deposits ranged from several hundred nanometers to 1.5 μm. The films were mainly titanium dioxide. Some coke-like deposits, which may contain or be changed by OH, NH, C-C, C-O, and C=O groups, were doped in the films. The films were mainly amorphous with a small amount of anatase and rutile phase.

Investigation of Formation and Inhibition Mechanism of Cerium Conversion Films on Al 2024 Alloy

To study the mechanism of formation and inhibition of Ce conversion films on Al 2024-T3 alloy, scanning microreference electrode technique (SMRE) is used to probe the potential map on Al 2024-T3 in CeCl 3 solution, the localized corrosion of Al alloy decreases with immersion time and disappears finally, which results from the competition of Cl - aggression and Ce 3+ inhibition on alloy surface. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that the Ce conversion films consist of Al 2O 3, CeO 2 and Ce 2O 3(Ce(OH) 3), and CeO 2/Ce 2O 3 ratio decreases with the immersion time. When a critical pH for Ce(OH) 3 formation was reached, Ce(OH) 3 will precipitate on the micro cathodic area on alloy surface. Consequently, H 2O 2, the product of the catholic reaction will oxidize a part of Ce(OH) 3 to CeO 2, which appears a better corrosion resistance for Al alloys.

Preparation of Diamond-like Carbon Films on the Surface of Ti Alloy by Electro-deposition

In this paper, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were deposited on Ti alloy by electro-deposition. DLC films were brown andcomposed of the compact grains whose diameter was about 400 nm. Examined by XPS, the main composition of the filmswas carbon. In the Raman spectrum, there were a broad peak at 1350 cm^(-1) and a broad peak at 1600 cm^(-1), which indicatedthat the films were DLC films.

Microstructure and magnetic properties of electrodeposited Gd-Co alloy films

Gd-Co alloy films were synthesized by potentiostatic electrolysis on Cu substrates in urea-acetamide-NaBr-KBr melt at 353 K. The electroreduction of Co^2＋ and Gd^3＋ was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The reduction of Co^2＋ is an irreversible process. Gd^3＋ cannot be reduced alone, but it can be inductively co-deposited with Co^2＋. Both the Gd content and microstructure of the prepared Gd-Co alloy films can be controlled by the deposited potential. The content of Gd was analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer （ICPES）, and the microstructure was observed by scanning electron micrograph （SEM）. The films were crystallized by heat-treatment at 823 K for 30 s in Ar atmosphere, and then were investigated by XRD. The hysteresis loops of the Gd-Co alloy films were measured by a vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM）. The experimental results reveal that the deposited Gd-Co alloy films are amorphous, while the annealing causes the samples to change from amorphous to polycrystalline, thus enhancing their magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity. Moreover, the magnetic properties of the Gd-Co alloy films depend strongly on the Gd content.

Properties of oxide films grown on 25Cr20Ni alloy in air-H_2O and H_2-H_2O atmospheres

The oxidation kinetics,surface morphology and phase structure of oxide films grown on 25Cr20Ni alloy in air-H2O and H2-H2O atmospheres at 900 ℃ for 20 h were investigated.The anti-coking performance and resistance to carburization of the two oxide films were compared using 25Cr20Ni alloy tubes with an inner diameter of 10 mm and a length of 850 mm in a bench scale naphtha steam pyrolysis unit.The oxidation kinetics followed a parabolic law in an air-H2O atmosphere and a logarithm law in a H2-H2O atmosphere in the steady-state stage.The oxide film grown in the air-H2O atmosphere had cracks where the elements Fe and Ni were enriched and the un-cracked area was covered with octahedral-shaped MnCr2O4 spinels and Cr1.3Fe0.7O3 oxide clusters,while the oxide film grown in the H2-H2O atmosphere was intact and completely covered with dense standing blade MnCr2O4 spinels.In the pyrolysis tests,the anti-coking performance and resistance to carburization of the oxide film grown in the H2-H2O atmosphere were far better than that in the air-H2O atmosphere.The mass of coke formed in the oxide film grown in the H2-H2O atmosphere was less than 10％ of that in the air-H2O atmosphere.The Cr1.3Fe0.7O3 oxide clusters converted into Cr23C6 carbides and the cracks were filled with carbon in the oxide film grown in the air-H2O atmosphere after repeated coking and decoking tests,while the dense standing blade MnCr2O4 spinels remained unchanged in the oxide film grown in the H2-H2O atmosphere.The ethylene,propylene and butadiene yields in the pyrolysis tests were almost the same for the two oxide films.

Magnetic Properties and Heat-Treatment of Electrodeposited Sm-Co Alloy Films

Dense, adhesive and uniform Sm-Co alloy films were prepared by potentiostatic electrolysis on copper substrates in urea-acetamide-NaBr-KBr melt at 353 K, which were observed by SEM. The electroreduction of Co2+ and Sm3+ was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The reduction of Co2+ is an irreversible process. Sm3+ can not be reduced alone, but Sm-Co can be co-deposited by induced deposition. The films could be crystallized by heat-treatment at different temperature from 723 to 923 K under Ar atmosphere. The annealed time was chosen as 30 s. The phases of deposited and annealed films were investigated by XRD. The content of Sm was analyzed by Inductive Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (ICPES). The hysteresis loops of the Sm-Co alloy films have been measured by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The experimental results reveal that, the heat-treatment has important influence on coercive field Hc and remanent squareness S of Sm-Co alloy films; the deposited Sm-Co alloy films are amorphous, while the annealed those become polycrystalline; in addition, the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and preferring orientation of films depend strongly on the contents of crystal phases.

Surface Analysis of Chemical Stripping Titanium Alloy Oxide Films

The chemical stripping method of titanium alloy oxide films was studied. An environment friendly solution hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide without hydrofluoric acid or fluoride were used to strip the oxide films. The morphologies of the surface and cross-section of the oxide films before and after the films stripping were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The microstructure and chemical compositions of the oxide films before and after the films stripping were investigated by using Raman spectroscopy （Raman） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. It was shown that the thickness of the oxide film was in the range of 5-6 μm. The oxide films were stripped for 2 to 8 min in the solution. Moreover, the effect of the stripping time on the efficiency of the film stripping was investigated, and the optimum stripping time was between 6-8 min. When the stripping solution completely dissolved the whole film, the α/β microstructure of the titanium alloy Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al was partly revealed. The stripping mechanism was discussed in terms of the dissolution of film delamination. The hydrogen peroxide had a significant effect on the dissolution of the titanium alloy anodic oxide film. The feasibility of the dissolution reaction also was evaluated.

Versatile techniques based on the Thermionic Vacuum Arc(TVA)and laser-induced TVA methods for Mg/Mg:X thin films deposition-A review

Magnesium and magnesium thin alloy films were deposited using a thermionic vacuum arc(TVA),which has multiple applications in the field of metallic electrodes for diodes and batteries or active corrosion protection.An improved laser-induced TVA(LTVA)method favors the crystallization processes of the deposited magnesium-based films because the interaction between laser and plasma discharge changes the thermal energy during photonic processes due to the local temperature variation.Plasma diagnosis based on current discharge measurements suggests an inelastic collision between the laser beam and the atoms from the plasma discharge.The morphology and surface properties of the obtained thin films differ between these two methods.While the amorphous character is dominant for TVA thin films,enabling a smooth surface,the LTVA method produces rough surfaces with prominent crystallinity,less hydrophobic character and lower surface energy.The smooth surfaces obtained by the TVA methods produce metallic electrodes with good electrical contact,ensuring better diodes and battery charge transport.Both methods allow uniform magnesium alloys to be obtained,but the laser used in the LTVA on the discharge plasma controls the added metal or element ratio.

Microstructure and properties of hydrophobic films derived from Fe-W amorphous alloy

Amorphous metals are totally different from crystalline metals in regard to atom arrangement. Amorphous metals do not have grain boundaries and weak spots that crystalline materials contain, making them more resistant to wear and corrosion. In this study, amorphous Fe-W alloy films were first prepared by an electroplating method and were then made hydrophobic by modification with a water repellent （heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetradecyl） trimethoxysilane. Hierarchical micro-nano structures can be obtained by slightly oxidizing the as-deposited alloy, accompanied by phase transformation from amorphous to crystalline during heat treatment. The mi-cro-nano structures can trap air to form an extremely thin cushion of air between the water and the film, which is critical to producing hydrophobicity in the film. Results show that the average values of capacitance, roughness factor, and impedance for specific surface areas of a 600°C heat-treated sample are greater than those of a sample treated at 500°C. Importantly, the coating can be fabricated on various metal substrates to act as a corrosion retardant.

Electrodeposition of Pr-Fe alloy films in urea-dimethylsulfoxide

Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were used to investigate theelectrochemical behavior of Pr^(3+) ions in a system of 0.01 mol centre dot dm^(-3) Pr(CH_3SO_3)_3 +0.01 mol centre dot dm^(-3) FeCl_2 + 3.0 mol centre dot dm^(-3) urea + DMSO on a R electrode. Someelectrochemical parameters were measured. Potentiostatic depositions between -1.6 and -2.4 V wereapplied to deposit Pr-Fe films in urea-DMSO mixed solution. The Pr content in the alloy films was inthe range of 34.89 wt. percent to 37.15 wt. percent. The Pr-Fe alloy films are proven to beamorphous by XRD (X-ray diffraction).

Oxidation Resistance of Fe-13Cr Alloy with Micro-Laminated (ZrO_2-Y_2O_3)/(Al_2O_3-Y_2O_3) Films

The micro-laminated （ZrO2-Y2O3）/（Al2O3-Y2O3） composite films were prepared on the surface of Fe-13Cr alloy by an electrochemical process and a sintering process alternately. High-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy （FE-SEM） was used to characterize the laminated films, indicating that the micro-laminated （ZrO2-Y2O3）] （Al2O3-Y2O3） films have nano-structures. SEM, EDS and mass gain measurement were adopted to study the oxidation resistance of films on Fe-13Cr alloy. It is proved that such micro-laminated films are more effective than ZrO2-Y2O3 or Al2O3-Y2O3 films to resist the oxidation of the alloy, and the oxidation resistance is increased with increasing layers in micro-laminated films. These beneficial effects can be contributed to the mechanism, by which such micro-laminated （ZrOE- YEO3）/（Al2O3-Y2O3） composite film combines all the beneficial effects and overcomes all the disadvantages of both ZrOE- Y2O3 film and Al2O3-Y2O3 film during oxidation of alloy.

Electrochemical Preparation of La-Fe Alloy Films in Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)

The cyclic voltammetry and potential step methods were used to investigate the electrochemical behavior of Fe 2+ and La 3+ in FeCl 2 LiCl DMSO and LaCl 3 LiCl DMSO systems on Pt, Cu and Ni cathodes. The electroreduction of Fe 2+ to Fe is irreversible in one step,while the electroreduction of La 3+ to La is quasi reversible. The diffusion coefficient of La 3+ in LaCl 3 LiCl DMSO system at 298 K was 3 1×10 -6 cm 2·s -1 . The diffusion coefficient and transfer coefficient of Fe 2+ in FeCl 2 LiCl DMSO system at 298 K were 2 54×10 -6 cm 2·s -1 and 0 24, respectively. La Fe alloy films containing La from 22 7% to 37 1% (mass fraction) were prepared by potentiostatic electrolysis on Cu substrates at a deposition potential from -1 750 to -2 450 V (vs SCE). The fine La Fe alloy films were also obtained by pulse electrolysis at a pulse current densities from 2 to 6 mA·cm -2 . The surfaces of these alloy films are smooth, adhesive and uniform, and have metallic luster.

Deposition of cerium contained conversion films on LC4 alloy with square wave pulse method

Cerium contained conversion films were deposited on LC4 aluminum alloy usingsquare wave pulse (SWP) in a CeCl_3 solution with KMnO_4 as the oxidant. Energy dispersivespectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were adopted to study the composition andthe morphology of the film. It is found that the film is composed of Al, Zn, Cu, and small amount ofcerium. The polarization curves of the specimens treated with SWP technique measured in 3.5% (massfraction) NaCl solution reveal that the film thus formed inhibits both the anodic and cathodicprocess of the corrosion of the specimen. The immersion tests of treated specimens in 3.5% NaClsolution indicate that the corrosion resistance of the SWP treated specimen is better than that ofthe untreated and is equivalent to or even better than that of the traditionally electro-chemicallytreated specimens.

Superelasticity of NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Thin Films

The superelastic properties of NiTi thin films prepared with sputtering were studied. To characterize their superelasticity, tensile and bulging and indentation tests were performed. The measured mechanisms using these three methods were compared, and the factors that influence superelasticity were described.

Study on the early surface films formed on Mg-Y molten alloy in different atmospheres

In the present study,the non-isothermal early stages of surface oxidation of liquid Mg-1%Y alloy during casting were studied under UPH argon,dry air,and air mixed with protective fluorine-bearing gases.The chemistry and morphology of the surface films were characterized by SEM and EDX analyses.The results indicate a layer of smooth and tightly coherent oxidation film composed of MgO and Y_(2)O_(3) formed on the molten Mg-Y alloy surface with 40-60 nm thickness under dry air.A dendritic/cellular microstructure is clearly visible with Y-rich second phases gathered in surface of the melt and precipitated along the grain/cell boundaries under all gas conditions.Under fluorine-bearing gas mixtures,the surface film was a mixed oxide and fluoride and more even;a flat and folded morphology can be seen under SF6 with oxide as dominated phase and under 1,1,1,2-tetra-fluoroethane,a smooth and compact surface film uniformly covering the inner surface of the bubble with equal oxide and fluoride thickness,which results in a film without any major defects.MgF_(2) phase appears to be the key characteristic of a good protective film.

Microstructure and abrasive wear behaviour of anodizing composite films containing Si C nanoparticles on Ti6Al4V alloy

Anodized composite films containing Si C nanoparticles were synthesized on Ti6Al4 V alloy by anodic oxidation procedure in C4O6H4Na2 electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) were employed to characterize the morphology and composition of the films fabricated in the electrolytes with and without addition of Si C nanoparticles. Results show that Si C particles can be successfully incorporated into the oxide film during the anodizing process and preferentially concentrate within internal cavities and micro-cracks. The ball-on-disk sliding tests indicate that Si C-containing oxide films register much lower wear rate than the oxide films without Si C under dry sliding condition. Si C particles are likely to melt and then are oxidized by frictional heat during sliding tests. Potentiodynamic polarization behavior reveals that the anodized alloy with Si C nanoparticles results in a reduction in passive current density to about 1.54×10-8 A/cm2, which is more than two times lower than that of the Ti O2 film(3.73×10-8 A/cm2). The synthesized composite film has good anti-wear and anti-corrosion properties and the growth mechanism of nanocomposite film is also discussed.

Effect of deposition parameters on mechanical properties of TiN films coated on 2A12 aluminum alloys by arc ion plating (AIP)

TiN films were deposited on 2A12 aluminum alloy by arc ion plating (AIP). The Vickers hardness of the films deposited at different bias voltages and different nitrogen gas pressures, and that of the substrate were measured. The surface roughness of the TiN films diposited at –30 V and –80 V respectively and at different nitrogen gas pressure was measured also. The mass loss of TiN films deposited at 0 V, –30 V and –80 V respectively were analyzed in dry sand rubber wheel abrasive wear tests and wet ones in comparison with uncoated Al alloy and austenitic stainless steel (AISI 316L). It is revealed that the highest hardness of the TiN film is obtained at a bias voltage of –30 V and a N2 gas pressure of 0.5 Pa. The surface roughness of the film is larger at –80 V than that at –30 V and reduces as the increase of the N2 gas pressure. The mass loss of TiN-film coated 2A12 aluminum alloy is remarkably less than that of uncoated Al alloy and also that of AISI 316L, which indicates that the abrasive wear rate is greatly reduced by the application of TiN coating. TiN coating deposited by arc ion plating (AIP) technique on aluminum alloy can be a potential coating for machine parts requiring preciseness and lightness.

Characterization of oxide films formed on magnesium alloys using bipolar pulse microarc oxidation in phosphate solutions

The surface morphology and chemical composition of the oxide films formed on pure magnesium and AZ91D alloy in aqueous electrolytes which contained sodium hexafluorinealuminate（Na3AlF6）, potassium hydroxide （KOH）, sodium hexametahposphate（（NaPO3）6）, and triethanolamine were investigated by X-ray diffraction（XRD）, scanning electron microscope（SEM） and energy dispersive spectroscopy（EDX）. The results show that the input of the negative pulse has great influences on the quantity and the appearance of the microdischarges. Three types of pores can be distinguished on the surface of the oxide film and their size ranges are 0.5-1μm, 1-2μm and 4-7μm, respectively. A few microcracks are seen around the large pores. There exists a remarkable fluoride- enriched zone of about 4-6μm for pure magnesium and 3-5μm for AZ91D alloy at the coating/substrate interface.