Electrochemical corrosion of thin ferromagnetic Fe—N films in neutral solution

A model experiment was conducted in order to determine an interplay between inherent strains and electrochemical corrosion rate in nitrogen-doped iron thin films. 150 and 300 nm thick films, used in the experiment, were obtained by means of DC magnetron sputtering. In order to study the influence of substrate on inherent strains in metal, these films were deposited onto flexible polymer and rigid glass substrates. It was found, that the rigidity of the substrate increased the corrosion rate of thin iron films in a neutral electrolytic solution. It was proven using X-ray diffraction, that the greater rigidity was, the stronger were the internal strains within the films. That effect was especially pronounced in thinner films, where the increase in the rate of dissolution was accompanied by a localization of corrosion. Characteristics of electrochemical processes were measured using a three-electrode cell. The comparison of the films free surface energy was performed by measuring water contact angle.