Anodic Polarization of Titanium Carbide TiC.sub.x in 3% NaCl Solution in the Homogeneity Range

The potentiodynamic polarization curves, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and Auger electron spectroscopy are employed to study the kinetics and mechanism of electrochemical oxidation of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric samples of titanium carbide TiC.sub.x in the homogeneity range (x = 0.5-1.0). The content of TiO and TiO.sub.2 tends to decrease in the surface film on all compounds in the TiC.sub.0.6 → TiC.sub.1.0 row, with a very small amount of the TiO.sub.2 phase in the scale. The stoichiometric TiC.sub.1.0 sample shows the highest resistance to anodic oxidation because it has the strongest Ti-C bonds formed completely in its lattice.