Investigation on synthesis, characterisation and electrochemical properties of TiO2–Al2O3 nanocomposite thin film coated on 316 L stainless steel

TiO2–Al2O3 nanocomposite coatings have been applied on the surface of 316 L stainless steel by a sol–gel process and dip-coating technique. The film with different compositions and thickness have been prepared. The phase composition and morphology of samples has been analyzed by Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer (STA), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) instruments. The corrosion resistance of the coatings in 0.5 M NaCl was evaluated by electrochemical polarization measurement. According to electrochemical polarization results, three-layer TiO2–20 wt.% Al2O3 nanocomposite film, shows the best corrosion resistance.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (137 K)Download as PowerPoint slideTiO2–Al2O3 nanocomposite coating on 316 L stainless steelResearch highlights► Coating of TiO2–Al2O3 nanocomposite on the surface of 316 L stainless steel. ► Investigation on phase transformations. ► The relation of processing parameters with microstructure of coatings. ► Investigation on corrosion resistence and its relationship with processing parameters and microstructure.