This study investigated the anticorrosive properties of nitride coatings (V,Zr,Nb)N, VN and (Zr,V)N with a thickness of approximately 3 μm, deposited on a substrate of AISI 321 steel. Experiments were conducted in 3.0 and 0.9% aqueous NaCl solutions. The results indicate that the use of (V,Zr,Nb)N, VN and (Zr,V)N coatings to protect AISI 321 steel in corrosive environments (e.g., chloride-containing solutions) allowed corrosion currents to be reduced by 10–20 times (from 7.0 to 0.29 μA/cm²) for a sample with a (Zr,V)N coating in a 3.0% aqueous NaCl solution, and by 2 times (from 0.36 to 0.18 μA/cm²) for a sample with a (V,Zr,Nb)N coating in a 0.9% aqueous NaCl solution. Based on the distribution of elements on the surface of the samples after holding for 168 h in a 3.0% aqueous NaCl solution at 25 °C, it can be qualitatively concluded that the oxidation intensity of the (Zr,V)N coating was the lowest under this condition, and that the VN coating exhibited the highest oxidation intensity among the considered coatings. Analysis of the structure of the (Zr,V)N coating after holding in a 3.0% aqueous NaCl solution for 168 h at 25 °C shows the presence of nanometre-sized chips, while the analysis of the distribution of elements does not record the presence of anything other than the elements comprising the coating. Based on the distribution of elements on the surface of the VN coating, it can be assumed that the destruction of this coating mainly occurs due to peeling off from the substrate; however, corrosion processes also occur in the VN coating itself. Analysis of the distribution of elements in the surface layers of the (V,Zr,Nb)N coating did not show noticeable signs of oxidation. The destruction of this coating occurs due to fragments peeling off from the substrate, while oxidation processes and substrate corrosion do not have a significant effect on the process of (V,Zr,Nb)N coating destruction.

In this work, different cationic surfactants with various aliphatic and aromatic ammonium cations were used to prepare inhibitor coatings and were characterized by different techniques such as IR spectroscopy and NMR. The inhibitor coatings were prepared by electrografting on the steel surface and their anticorrosion properties were evaluated in different media (HCl, H₂SO₄ and NaCl solutions). The electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization technique was used to study the inhibition efficiency of the prepared coatings. The dependence of the wetting properties of the electrografted layer and its homogeneity on the molecular structure of the prepared surfactants was studied. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between the properties of these surfactants in terms of critical micellar concentration, packing and wetting, and the anti-corrosion efficiency of their coatings. In this paper, we discuss the synergistic inhibition effect and the anticorrosion efficiency.

The coatings of ZrN, (Zr,Ti)N, (Ti,Zr,Hf)N and (Ti,Zr,Nb)N deposited on the titanium alloy substrate were compared. The wear resistance in the pin-on-disk test together with the Al₂O₃ indenter and the corrosion resistance in 3.5% NaCl solution were studied. It was found that the (Zr,Nb,Ti)N coating has the best resistance to wear, but has low corrosion resistance. The (Ti,Zr,Hf)N coating, on the contrary, has the best corrosion resistance, but low resistance to wear. The ZrN coating has good corrosion resistance combined with good resistance to wear. This coating is best suited for use in friction conditions with a ceramic counterbody under the influence of seawater. An important resource for increasing the properties of coatings is increasing their adhesion to the substrate, which can be achieved in two combined ways: (1) complete removal of the original oxide layer from the surface of the substrate and (2) the use of optimal compositions of the adhesive sublayer, which have not only high adhesive properties in relation to both the substrate and the coating, but also high strength. While the introduction of Nb into the ZrN coating composition increases wear resistance and the introduction of Hf increases corrosion resistance, the ZrN coating without additives best resists wear and corrosion simultaneously.

Multifunctional coatings based on Sn-Ni materials with and without titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) incorporation were prepared using the electrochemical deposition technique at 70 °C. TiO₂NPs were dispersed in the electrolyte bath, and their influence on the surface texture, crystalline phase, and properties was investigated. Various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) were used to characterize the prepared coatings. The formation mechanism of the deposited coatings has been demonstrated to be consistent with the electrochemical behavior of instantaneous growth, and the three-dimensional growth is controlled by diffusion phenomena. The anticorrosion effectiveness of the coatings was assessed using potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in an artificial sweat medium, while the bactericidal activity of the composite coatings (the ability to induce cell death) was evaluated in accordance with the ISO 27447:2019 test. The influence of TiO₂NPs at a low concentration of 1 g/L on the composition, structure, and properties of the deposited coatings was demonstrated. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between the anticorrosive and bactericidal properties of the coatings and their structure composition and wetting properties. The synergistic effect of chemical composition and surface-wetting properties has been demonstrated to enhance the anticorrosive and bactericidal properties of the prepared coatings.

Multifunctional coatings based on Sn-Ni materials with and without titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) incorporation were prepared using the electrochemical deposition technique at 70°C. TiO2NPs were dispersed in the electrolyte bath, and their influence on both surface texture, crystalline phase, and properties was investigated. Various techniques such as X-ray phase analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) were used to characterize the prepared coatings. The anti-corrosion effectiveness of the coatings was assessed using potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in an artificial sweat medium, while the bactericidal activity of the composite coatings (the ability to induce cell death) was evaluated in accordance with ISO 27447:2009 test. The influence of the TiO2NPs on the composition, structure and properties of the deposited coatings was established. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between the anticorrosive and bactericidal properties of the coatings and their structure and composition. The synergistic effect of the various properties was investigated and discussed.