Concentration profiles and electrochemical properties of chromium and nickel implanted iron

The concentration profiles of chromium and nickel implanted in pure iron were measured with a secondary ion mass analyzer. The electrochemical properties of implanted iron were investigated by means of a cyclic voltammetry in 0.5 M acetate buffer solution (pH = 5.0 +- 0.1). Chromium, nickel and argon ion implantations have been carried out with doses of 1 x 1016 -- 1 x 1017 ions/cm2 at an energy of 150 keV. The target temperature during ion implantation rised to --1800C from room temperature by the heating effect of ion beam itself. The profile of Cr implanted in pure iron has two peaks; the first peak near the surface and the second peak near the depth predicted by the range theory. However, the first peak was not found in the specimen 1 st-implanted with Ni. The electrochemical properties of Cr implanted iron approach to that of Fe-18% Cr bulk alloy (SUS 430), as the dose increases. The polarization curve of Cr implanted iron with 1 x 1017 ions/cm2 is almost the same as that of SUS 430. The polarization curve of Ni and Cr implanted iron is similar to that of Fe-18%Cr-8%Ni bulk alloy (SUS 304) after annealing at --3000C for 20 min. These results show that Cr and Ni implanted surface layer is useful for the improvement of corrosion resistance of iron. (author)