Titanium has an excellent resistance to corrosion thanks to the titanium dioxide film that spontaneously forms on its surface. Nevertheless, in severe environments (desalination plants, organic acids, hot brackish waters) localized corrosion phenomena may take place. Currently, these environments require the use of very expensive titanium alloys, e.g. TiPd.
Starting from a consolidated experience in the anodic oxidation of commercial purity titanium, used as treatment to create photocatalytic and self-cleaning surfaces, in the last years the effect of these treatments was studied also in terms of corrosion resistance of the modified surfaces.
The research activity consists of different phases:
- definition of electrochemical parameters allowing the growth of the most resistant oxide films
- study of chemical and thermal oxidation treatments
- setup of repair treatments to be applied to oxidized titanium in presence of defects.