Corrosion Resistant Supersaturated Single-Phase Nanocrystalline Alloys

Abstract The ability to design and manufacture thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline alloys via electrodeposition has enabled new materials with significantly improved mechanical and corrosion properties. These new alloys are particularly well-suited for applications throughout the electronics, transportation, aerospace and oil & gas industries. Key to improved corrosion performance is the supersaturated solid solution structure of these single-phase materials, eliminating microgalvanic corrosion common to multiphase alloys produced by traditional metallurgical methods. Furthermore, the electrodeposition process allows for the fine tuning of alloy composition and subsequently, mechanical & corrosion properties. We have previously prepared and demonstrated improved corrosion performance of Ni, Ag, and Al based nanocrystalline metal alloy coatings.1–3 that provide protection to corrosion prone materials such as Al, Cu, Fe and Mg. Herein we present structural, mechanical and immersion corrosion properties of a newly developed nanocrystalline NiMo alloy and provide comparisons to pure Ni, and previously developed NiW alloys targeted for commercial electronics applications.