Correlation between electronic and corrosion properties of the passive oxide film on nitinol.

The oxide film (TiO(2)) was formed on Nitinol potentiostatically in an acetic acid solution. Deep understanding of electronic properties of this film is needed to predict long-term corrosion properties of Nitinol implant material in simulated body fluid conditions. The capacitance measurements were performed under depletion conditions to study electronic (semiconducting) properties. The space charge, formed at the solid|liquid interface, creates the barrier for the corrosion processes in aggressive (bio)environment. According to the results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Mott-Schottky analysis (MS), the passive film on Nitinol behaves as amorphous highly-doped n-type semiconductor. The values of electronic structure parameters (the flat-band potential, E(fb) and the carrier (donor) density, N(D)) were corrected for frequency dispersion.