Corrosion behavior of Cr electrodeposited from Cr(VI) and Cr(III)-baths using direct (DCD) and pulse electrodeposition (PED) techniques

A comparison was made between the electrochemical corrosion behaviors of chromium deposited from hexavalent [Cr(VI)] and trivalent [Cr(III)] chromium baths using direct current (DCD) and pulse electro deposited (PED) techniques. Chromium coatings were deposited on mild-steel (MS) substrate. The corrosion behavior of both DCD and PED chromium from Cr(VI) and Cr(III)-baths in 3.5%NaCl solution was studied using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicated that PED chromium from Cr(VI) and Cr(III)-baths have higher charge-transfer resistance Rct and very low Icorr than that of DCD chromium on mild-steel substrate.