Corrosion behaviour of nanocomposite TiSiN coatings on steel substrates

Nanocomposite TiSiN coatings were deposited on tool steels. Detailed mechanisms that govern the corrosion of these coated steels were revealed, following immersion tests in a 70% nitric acid solution. Pitting originated preferentially from coating defect sites and expanded with increasing immersion time. Both Young’s modulus and hardness measured by nanoindentation decreased as the corrosion damage intensified. A thin oxide layer formed from the thermal annealing of the as-deposited samples at 900 °C was found to be effective against corrosive attack. In addition, compressive residual stress was noted to suppress the propagation of corrosion-induced cracks. The role of residual stress in controlling the corrosion resistance of these ceramic-coated steels is clarified by finite element analysis.

► Pitting, originating from surface defects, was the dominant corrosion mechanism in TiSiN coated steels.
► The thin oxide layer generated by annealing provided protection against corrosion.
► Compressive residual stress resisted the propagation of corrosion in TiSiN coated steels.