Anticorrosion titanium oxide coatings deposited by pulsed laser ablation

Titanium oxide coatings have been deposited on to iron and steel substrates, by pulsed laser ablation, to prevent corrosion from foods and corrosive agents. The films, deposited from laser ablation of a titanium target in a vacuum chamber containing oxygen, have been characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to analyse their composition, and by electrochemical tests to study the homogeneity of the coating and its resistance to corrosion. X-ray diffraction analysis has been also used to study film structure. Laser fluence, substrate temperature and oxygen pressure have been optimised to improve the technological characteristics of the deposits.