Effect on thermal oxidation in TiO2 nanostructures on nanohardness and corrosion resistance

Muñoz Mizuno, Andrea | 2020

This article aimed to analyze the effect of the thermal oxidation in the corrosion resistance and the hardness properties of TiO2 nanostructures obtained by the anodizing process in the HF/H3PO4 solution. TiO2 nanostructures on Ti6Al4V obtained by anodizing processes were subjected to thermal oxidation (TO) treatments over a temperature range from 500 ºC to 620 ºC for 2 hours. Surface morphology was evaluated by using scanning electron microscopy; the hardness properties of TiO2 nanostructures were obtained by Nanoindentation measurements using a Berkovich probe with a tip radius of 150 mm. The corrosion behavior of the samples was studied using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that TiO2 nanostructures, modified by thermal oxidation, increased the surface properties of hardness and corrosion resistance, compared to the substrate, maintaining its mixed or tubular structure. On the other hand, a transformation of nanotubes to nanopores after 600ºC was evidenced, generating significant changes in the mechanical properties of these structures.