Numéro
J. Phys. IV France
Volume 02, Numéro C2, Septembre 1991
Proceedings of the Eighth European Conference on Chemical Vapour Deposition / Actes de la 8ème Confèrence Européenne sur les Dépôts Chimiques en Phase Gazeuse
Page(s) C2-641 - C2-648
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:1991277
Proceedings of the Eighth European Conference on Chemical Vapour Deposition / Actes de la 8ème Confèrence Européenne sur les Dépôts Chimiques en Phase Gazeuse

J. Phys. IV France 02 (1991) C2-641-C2-648

DOI: 10.1051/jp4:1991277

CORROSION OF CHEMICALLY VAPOUR DEPOSITED TITANIUM CARBIDE ON AN INERT SUBSTRATE

A. DELBLANC BAUER and J.-O. CARLSSON

Thin Film and Surface Chemistry Group, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Uppsala, Box 531, S-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden


Abstract
The corrosion properties of chemically vapour deposited titanium carbide (TiC) have been studied. Any contribution to the corrosion current from the substrate was avoided by using an inert substrate. The TiC was deposited onto substrates of Al2O3 from a gas mixture containing TiCl4, CH4 and H2 at temperatures between 1020°C and 1080°C. Differences in film thickness and morphology were measured for samples deposited at different temperatures and gas flows. Film thicknesses varied between 0.5 and 1.5 µm and grain sizes between 0.1 and 0.8 µm. Anodic polarization curves were registered in 1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). HCl of a lower concentration did not activate the samples. The corrosion potentials of the samples were used as starting points for the polarization curves. Films deposited on polished Al2O3 at 1020°C reached stable potentials of 250 mV (vs. SCE) after one hour. Films deposited onto unpolished substrates had lower values of corrosion potentials (- 100 to 0 mV vs. SCE) which reached stability after about three hours. It is suggested that the passivating film on TiC, deposited on polished substrates, achieved a higher protective quality in the solution, due to self-healing. The passivating film on TiC, deposited on unpolished substrates, on the other hand, did not succeed to reach this high quality. Anodic polarization curves for the different films showed only slight differences. The curves showed two passivation peaks at 800 and 1900 mV (vs. SCE), respectively. An extremely high oxygen overpotential (> 5V) and a poor tendency to transpassive corrosion (< 6V vs, SCE) were indicated by the curves.



© EDP Sciences 1991