The Influence of Si(C,N) Layer Composition on the Corrosion of NiCr Prosthetic Alloy

For decades, metal alloys have played a crucial role in medicine and dentistry as restorative materials. To enhance corrosion resistance and mitigate undesirable biological reactions, surface modifications of these alloys are widely employed. This study investigates the corrosion resistance and adhesion properties of a NiCr dental alloy coated with a Si(C,N) layer. The findings suggest that these coatings hold potential as protective layers for prosthetic components in future applications. Si(C,N) coatings were deposited using the reactive magnetron sputtering (RMS) method on the surface of a NiCr dental alloy. Four different carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio variations were examined. The results indicate that Si(C,N) coatings deposited via magnetron sputtering exhibit relatively low porosity (approximately 3%), enabling them to function effectively as barrier coatings. Among the tested coatings, the Si(39.6C/25.2N) layer demonstrated the highest polarization resistance (Rp) value and the lowest corrosion current density (icor), corrosion rate (CR), and mass loss rate (MR), suggesting that this composition achieves an optimal balance between carbon and nitrogen content. These findings are promising for the potential application of Si(C,N) coatings in dental techniques.