The wet corrosion of molybdenum thin film –. Part I: Behavior at 25°C

The corrosion and passivation behaviour of molybdenum thin films obtained by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) was investigated in aerated chloride and sulfate solutions at different pH values. Open circuit potential (ocp) measurements, polarisation experiments and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed. The experimental results suggest that the metal surface is covered by a passive film; however, corrosion still occurs. For the samples assessed during the current research, the acidic electrolytes tended to be less corrosive; however, a limited passive region was associated with the most basic sulfate or chloride solution. The effect of the pH was found to be more pronounced than the effect of the ion (chloride or sulfate).