Time-Dependent Passivation Performance of Plasma Sprayed FeCrMoCBY Amorphous Coating

Abstract

The relationship between passive film growth behavior and passivation time for plasma-sprayed Fe48Cr15Mo14C15B6Y2 amorphous coating in borate buffer solution has been thoroughly studied. The morphological characteristic and structural feature of as-spayed amorphous coating were estimated by scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM). The influence of passivation time on the film evolution properties was measured by electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), Mott–Schottky curves, atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results revealed that both corrosion resistance and self-repairing capacity of passive film greatly increased with time based on high electric field assumption. Reductions in donor density and flat band potential were accountable for a lower conductivity of passive film. An increment in Cr2O3 oxide as the inner barrier layer derived from the dehydration reaction of Cr(OH)3 contributed to the gradually densified structure of passive film. The extracted passive film thickness d increment with passivation time t conformed to the logarithm law on the basis of effective capacitance hypothesis: d=0.43lnt+52.06−2.18 (nm). Passivation mechanism within 600 s was ascribed to the adsorption of mechanical mixtures between metal ions and electrolytes, possibly leading to mechanical stress and rupture of passive film in the later growth procedure. The cation vacancy condensation process at the interface of coating/film was propitious in stabilizing the growth rate of passive film.