Photocathodic protection of 304 stainless steel by MnS/TiO2 nanotube films under simulated solar light

MnS/TiO2 nanotube films were fabricated by anodization and the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The crystalline phase and morphology of the as-prepared MnS/TiO2 nanotube films were characterized systematically by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), respectively. UV–vis adsorption spectra were also carried out to study the optical absorption property of the samples. The influence of the number of MnS deposition cycles on the photoelectric properties of the samples was investigated. The photocathodic protection performance of the composite films for 304 stainless steel was also evaluated in a 3.5% NaCl solution through the photoresponse spectra, open circuit potential (OCP) and Tafel polarization curves. The results indicate that MnS/TiO2 nanotube films prepared with an optimum number of deposition cycles exhibit an excellent photocathodic protection effect on 304 stainless steel under simulated solar light irradiation. [Display omitted] •MnS/TiO2 nanotube films were fabricated by anodization and the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method.•The influence of the number of MnS deposition cycles on the photoelectric properties of the samples was investigated.•MnS/TiO2 nanotube films exhibit excellent photocathodic protection effect on 304 stainless steel.