Abstract
In this study, Ni-Se intermetallic compound coatings were fabricated using electrodeposition at various process temperatures (40-70 °C). The results show that increasing the process temperature promotes the deposition of Se, which leads to a transition in the crystal phase of the samples from the Ni(0.85)Se phase, prepared under low-temperature conditions, to a NiSe(2) phase. The dissolution rate of Se in pure water from Ni-Se coatings is inversely related to the incorporated Se content, which indicates that the Ni(0.85)Se phase has a higher natural corrosion rate compared to the NiSe(2) phase. Under the influence of an electric field, the corrosion behavior of Ni-Se coatings is dominated by a two-stage reaction involving Se transformation and dissolution. Coatings with a predominant Ni(0.85)Se phase exhibit more severe corrosion behavior compared to those with a predominant NiSe(2) phase, which suggests that the corrosion reaction is enhanced by the electric field. However, because coatings with a predominant NiSe(2) phase contain a higher proportion of Se(2)(2-) ions, the dissolution reaction of SeO(x), generated during the electrochemical reaction, is retarded, thereby inhibiting the progression of the corrosion reaction. Consequently, coatings with a predominant NiSe(2) phase exhibit relatively better corrosion resistance in a water-based electrolyte.