Ahmed, M.Munroe, P.Jiang, Z.Zhao, X.Rickard, W.Zhou, Z.Li, L.Xie, Z.2013-03-072013-03-072011Corrosion Science, 2011; 53(11):3678-36870010-938X1879-0496http://hdl.handle.net/2440/75778Nanocomposite TiSiN coatings were deposited on tool steels. Detailed mechanisms that govern the corrosion of these coated steels were revealed, following immersion tests in a 70% nitric acid solution. Pitting originated preferentially from coating defect sites and expanded with increasing immersion time. Both Young's modulus and hardness measured by nanoindentation decreased as the corrosion damage intensified. A thin oxide layer formed from the thermal annealing of the as-deposited samples at 900 °C was found to be effective against corrosive attack. In addition, compressive residual stress was noted to suppress the propagation of corrosion-induced cracks. The role of residual stress in controlling the corrosion resistance of these ceramic-coated steels is clarified by finite element analysis. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.enCopyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.CeramicModelling studiesSEMXPSAcid corrosionPitting corrosionJournal article002012289910.1016/j.corsci.2011.07.0110002954345000252-s2.0-8005231443522630