Surface oxides produced during discharge in water ambient iron surface: a conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopic study

Abstract

Oxide layers are produced on iron surface, under discharge in water ambient, applying both anodic and cathodic potentials to iron foil. Non-stoichiometric Fe_1-xO containing different ratios of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ has been detected by using CEMS. Corrosion of these samples in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ shows that, cathodically discharge treated iron foil has higher corrosion resistance as compared to the anodically treated sample. This is attributed to the microstructural differences in the Fe_1-xO_x films formed during the discharge.