Corrosion effects on the nanotribology of a Ni62Nb38 metallic glass

The onset of corrosion in 0.1 M nitric and hydrochloric aqueous solutions and its effect on the friction and wear of a Ni62Nb38 MG have been investigated by AFM, XPS and SEM. Depending on the acidic solutions, the properties of the oxide layers grown on Ni62Nb38 MG differ, which affects the tribological response of the surface. A clear transition from shearing to ploughing friction is observed for as-spun Ni62Nb38. After etching in nitric acid, the onset of ploughing is retarded, and wear is reduced. In contrast, ploughing is suppressed after immersion in HCl. In that case friction and wear are dominated by adhesion and material transfer.