Corrosion depth profiles of nitrided titanium alloy in acidified sulphate solution

Thick (400 µm) glow-discharge nitrided layers, TiN+Ti₂N + αTi(N) type, have been produced on the Ti-1Al-1Mn titanium alloy. Using a progressive thinning method, the polarization characteristics at different depths of nitrided layers have been measured. From the plots of obtained potentiodynamic polarization curves the depth profiles of characteristic anodic and cathodic currents (at potentials corresponding to (a) hydride formation, (b) hydrogen evolution, (c) primary passivation, (d) oxygen evolution and (e) secondary passivation) as well as polarization resistance have been determined in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ solution acidified to pH = 2. The anomalously high slope of the polarization curves in the cathodic region has been ascribed to the formation of titanium hydride. It has been shown that outer nitrided layers (up to 25 µm) exhibit excellent acid corrosion resistance owing to strong inhibition of the anodic process by TiN phase. Corrosion resistance of deeper situated layers gradually decreases and at depths of 250–370 µm the corrosion process is accelerated by presence of TiO₂ precipitations. Nitrided layers, unlike the alloy core, allow oxygen evolution on the oxy-nitrided surface at potential of +1.6 V and at more positive potentials gradual transformation of the surfacial film into TiO₂ takes place. Secondary passivation on nitrided titanium is less efficient than that in the absence of Ti-N species.