Surface characterization of passive film formed on nitrogen ion implanted Ti–6Al–4V and Ti–6Al–7Nb alloys using SIMS

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of N + ion implantation on corrosion and phase formation on the implanted surfaces of Ti–6Al–4V and Ti–6Al–7Nb alloys. Nitrogen ion was implanted on Ti–6Al–4V and Ti–6Al–7Nb alloys at an energy of 70 and 100 keV, respectively using a 150 keV accelerator at different doses ranging from 5 × 10 15 to 2.5 × 10 17 ions/cm 2. Electrochemical studies have been carried out in Ringer’s solution in order to determine the optimum dose that can give good corrosion resistance in a simulated body fluid condition. The implanted surfaces of such modified doses were electrochemically passivated at 1.0 V for an hour. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to study and characterize titanium oxide and titanium nitride layers produced on implanted surface and to correlate them with the corrosion resistance. The nature of the passive film of the implanted–passivated specimen was compared with the unimplanted–passivated as well as as-implanted specimens.