The 7xxx series aluminum alloys are anodic compared to the 1xxx series and other aluminum alloys due to the zinc content. In this work, Ti/TiN coatings are deposited on the7075 aluminum substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering and the corrosion resistance and self-healing properties are investigated. The coatings consist of TiN, TiOxNy, and TiO2 phases. Electrochemical polarization and impedance studies reveal desirable features of the nanostructured Ti/TiN coating. The charge transport resistance increases by a factor of 20 compared to the Al 7075 substrate. Impedance tests are performed after polarization to examine the self-healing behavior. An improvement of 1.9 times in the charge transport resistance and inductive loop is observed after immersion for 12 h compared to one hour after polarization.
