Borate configuration and surface pre-functionalization effects on the boronizing behavior and corrosion inhibition

Surface boronizing treatment, which forms lattice defects between the boronized layer and the metal substrate, is an effective anti-corrosion strategy. We explored the bonding mode between boron-oxygen ligands and Fe substrate. [BO3] is bonded to Fe with Fe-B bonds, while [BO4] tends to form Fe-O bonds. The larger coordination number of B and O is beneficial to resist Cl- attack. Furthermore, carbon steels were amino-functionalized through a silanol condensation reaction . The electronic localization shifted toward Fe, which was conducive to the formation of hydrogen bonds between amidogen and boron-oxygen complex anions, which increased the boronizing efficiency by tenfold.