Abstract
Electrochemical techniques, ellipsometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to evaluate the use of benzotriazole, alone or in combination with boric acid/borate buffer and dilute copper sulfate for the protection of cobalt. The data indicate that in slightly alkaline solutions benzotriazole is a strong inhibitor for cobalt corrosion, whereas in water and neutral solutions it produces a barely measurable effect. In the presence of benzotriazole and Cu+2 ions, spontaneous reduction of copper ions leads to the formation of a thin film of Cu-BTA on the cobalt surface. This film acts as a corrosion protector that is better than benzotriazole, with a significant reduction of the corrosion rate even during subsequent exposure to solutions without inhibitors. © 1993, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.