The consumption of dissolved oxygen (DO) during the corrosion of commercially pure magnesium specimens was investigated by localized corrosion techniques. The concentration of oxygen and the local current density on the near‐surface of magnesium were measured simultaneously by a micro‐optode DO sensor and the scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET), respectively. Diamond microelectrodes were also used for DO mapping. Significant DO depletion was found since the initial immersion time of Mg in NaCl 0.5 m, and a correlation could be established between DO consumption and areas of anodic and cathodic activity. These findings assume particular relevance for the corrosion of Mg alloys or magnesium components with impurity levels higher than the tolerance limit. Moreover, this study points out the significance of the partial oxygen pressure as an influential parameter during magnesium corrosion.

Cobalt-cemented carbide micro-end mills were coated with diamond grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with the purpose of micro-machining cemented carbides. The diamond coatings were designed with a multilayer architecture, alternating between sub-microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond layers. The structure of the coatings was studied by transmission electron microscopy. High adhesion to the chemically pre-treated WC-7Co tool substrates was observed by Rockwell C indentation, with the diamond coatings withstanding a critical load of 1250 N. The coated tools were tested for micro-end-milling of WC-15Co under air-cooling conditions, being able to cut more than 6500 m over a period of 120 min, after which a flank wear of 47.8 μm was attained. The machining performance and wear behavior of the micro-cutters was studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Crystallographic analysis through cross-sectional selected area electron diffraction patterns, along with characterization in dark-field and HRTEM modes, provided a possible correlation between interfacial stress relaxation and wear properties of the coatings. Overall, this work demonstrates that high adhesion of diamond coatings can be achieved by proper combination of chemical attack and coating architecture. By preventing catastrophic delamination, multilayer CVD diamond coatings are central towards the enhancement of the wear properties and mechanical robustness of carbide tools used for micro-machining of ultra-hard materials.