Characteristics and anticorrosion performance of WSe2/TiO2 nanocomposite materials for 304 stainless steel

As a widely used corrosion-resistant material, stainless steel is still prone to pitting corrosion in marine environments where many Cl− and microorganisms are present. These potential hazards directly affect the service life of metal structures. Thus, it is necessary to take measures to protect stainless steel in the marine environment. In this paper, WSe2/TiO2 nanocomposite films were fabricated on Ti foil substrates via anodic oxidation and electrochemical deposition. The morphology, crystalline phase and optical characteristics of the WSe2/TiO2 nanocomposites were examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocathodic protection performance of the nanocomposite photoanodes for 304 stainless steel (304SS) under visible-light illumination was investigated through electrochemical measurements. Under visible-light illumination, the WSe2/TiO2 nanocomposite films showed stronger photoresponse properties and better photocathodic protection performances for 304SS than pure TiO2 nanotube films.