Electrodeposition of Amorphous Molybdenum Oxide on Iron-Group Element Based Plating and its Novel Application as a Corrosion Protective Coating

The corrosion resistance of materials composed of metal is an essential property for preventing material deterioration caused by corrosion. In this study, we demonstrate that corrosion resistance can be significantly improved through the electrodeposition of molybdenum oxide onto a metal plating containing iron-group elements. Mo oxide can be electrodeposited using a simple plating bath, low current density, and short deposition time, exhibiting a fascinating metallic gloss appearance. GI-XRD and XPS analyses revealed that amorphous Mo oxide adhered to the substrate by a seed layer partially reduced to metallic Mo by the iron-group element in the substrate, based on the principle of "induced co-deposition." A Mo oxide coating with a thickness of approximately 100 nm decreases the corrosion current density of Ni-W plating by approximately 5 times and the passivation current density by approximately 10 times in a 3 mass% NaCl solution. Mo oxide coatings represent an attractive strategy for improving the corrosion resistance of various metal materials containing iron-group elements.