# The Effect of Short-Term Annealing of the Amorphous Metal Alloy Al87Y4Gd1Ni8 on Surface Morphology and Electrochemical Properties

## TL;DR

Short-term annealing of an amorphous metal alloy improves surface activity but reduces corrosion resistance, while longer annealing smooths the surface but further weakens protection.

## Contribution

The study reveals how short-term and prolonged annealing affect the electrochemical and surface properties of the Al87Y4Gd1Ni8 amorphous alloy.

## Key findings

- Short-term annealing increases surface roughness and active area but reduces corrosion resistance.
- Prolonged annealing partially levels the surface but decreases the protective properties of the material.
- Annealing for 5 minutes optimizes tribological properties but longer durations degrade electrochemical performance.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?
Short-term annealing increases surface roughness and active area, while prolonged annealing induces partial surface leveling.Corrosion resistance of amorphous Al87Y4Gd1Ni8 in 0.3% NaCl is strongly dependent on annealing duration.

Short-term annealing increases surface roughness and active area, while prolonged annealing induces partial surface leveling.

Corrosion resistance of amorphous Al87Y4Gd1Ni8 in 0.3% NaCl is strongly dependent on annealing duration.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Enhanced surface activity after short-term annealing may reduce protective performance.Prolonged annealing decreases film protectiveness despite surface smoothing.

Enhanced surface activity after short-term annealing may reduce protective performance.

Prolonged annealing decreases film protectiveness despite surface smoothing.

Amorphous metal alloys (AMAs) are characterized by good mechanical and electrochemical properties. However, due to crystallization processes occurring at higher temperatures (Ta ˃ 600 K), these properties may deteriorate. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of short-term annealing at T3 = 611 ± 1 K and to determine the risks of such thermal modifications for the electrochemical properties of the material. A comprehensive analysis shows that short-term isothermal annealing (5 min) of the amorphous metal alloy Al87Y4Gd1Ni8 at a temperature of 611 ± 1 K improves the tribological properties of the material. However, it has been established that heat treatment for 5 min is optimal and leads to temporary thickening of the film and the formation of an almost ideal double layer, but annealing for 15–60 min negatively affects the electrochemical properties of this material, indicating a decrease in the protective properties of the passivating layers.