Analysis Of The Hydrogen Permeation Properties Of Tin-Tic Bilayers Deposited On Martensitic Stainless Steel

The efficiency of TiN-TiC bilayer coatings, deposited by ion-beam-assisted deposition on martensitic steel, as a hydrogen permeation barrier was investigated by a gas phase method; the hydrogen permeability in the TiN-TiC bilayers is very low, at least 10(4) times lower than in the steel substrate in the temperature interval 470-570 K. Possible physical mechanisms, responsible for the reduced permeability of the ceramic bilayers, are discussed. In particular, from our experimental results, it can be concluded that chemisorption and/or hydrogen jumping from surface sites to the first subsurface atomic layer represents the hydrogen permeation limiting process.