Influence of rare earths on electrochemical corrosion and wear resistance of RE-Cr/Ti pack coatings on cemented 304 stainless steel

Duplex coatings that consist of a Ti coating and a rare earth (RE)-modified Cr coating were prepared on 304 stainless steel via pack cementation to improve electrochemical corrosion and wear resistance characteristics. The influence of adding different REs to the RE-modified Cr coating was investigated. Continuous coatings with evident interface were formed on 304 stainless steel surface by using the proposed method. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were conducted to study the phases and microstructure of the sample surface, respectively. Electrochemical and wear tests revealed that the surface protection of 304 stainless steel via duplex pack cementation is an appropriate technique to enhance the resistance properties. Various REs possess different advantages in terms of surface morphology and resistance.