The coatings were prepared by deposition of platinum, nickel or platinum and nickel on titanium substrates as electrocatalytic coatings. Ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) of each metal is implemented out of neutral fraction of vapor and ionized plasma of vacuum electric arc between electrodes of the depositing metal. That is, the IBAD process was performed under the condition of self-radiation. In order to accelerate the metal ions the voltage of 20 kV was used. Composition of the coatings was investigated using the Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis methods.
The prepared coatings have amorphous structure, which makes it more difficult to define their phase composition. Contents of each metal in the deposited layers were ~1016-1017 at/cm2; coating thicknesses were ~50-200 nm. Apart from the deposited metals, the coatings also content admixtures of carbon and oxygen. Composition of elements and electronic structure of atoms of the elements that comprise the coatings changes with depth. Electronic and chemical interactions between atoms of the elements were detected. The atoms were arranged rather evenly on the surface; in some cases deposition of metal drops of ~1 micrometer and not exceeding 1 % of the area, received out of the electric arc, could be observed.
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