Corrosion resistant ZrO2 thin films prepared at room temperature by ion beam induced chemical vapour deposition

Transparent and very compact ZrO2 thin films have been prepared by ion beam induced chemical vapour deposition (IBICVD). The samples have been characterised by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Their performance as anticorrosion coatings has been tested by cyclic voltametry for samples of brass coated with very thin layers of zirconia (i.e. 10, 35 and 100 nm thick). The corrosion–protective effect of the coatings is discussed in relation with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data of samples subjected to the corrosion tests. Changes in surface morphology and chemical composition have been correlated with the extent and mechanism of corrosion deduced from the voltametric curves. These films present very good optical properties, and were very effective to protect brass against corrosion. These two facts make IBICVD a very promising method for preserving archaeological or art pieces without affecting their visual appearance.