Effects of high dose carbon implantation on the anodic dissolution behaviour of iron surface layers have been studied by multi-sweep cyclic voltammetry (CVM) in an acetate buffer solution of pH 5.0. Implantation of 12C+ was performed with doses of 2×1017-1×1018 ions/cm2 at an energy of 100keV, and at a nearly room temperature. XPS, XRD and laser Raman spectroscopy were used to analyze the composition and structure, before and after CVM measurements. High dose carbon implantation was extremely effective in suppression of the anodic dissolution of iron. The carbon depth profile showed a gaussian-like shape even at the highest dose, as predicted by the LSS theory, in which the carbon was combined with not only iron but also carbon itself. After CVM measurements, a glassy carbon film, including the graphite and disordered-graphite structures, was found on the surface. From the results, it is concluded that iron carbides and the carbon film formed by high dose carbon implantation and electrochemical treatment are effective in corrosion protection of iron surface layers.
