Impact of through passing solid-phase hydrogen diffusion on physico-mechanical properties of a Co-based amorphous membrane

In this work, solid-phase hydrogen diffusion is investigated as a treatment for a Co-based (Co75.4Fe3.5Cr3.3Si17.8) amorphous membrane, made of metallic glass. We report a noticeable growth of diffusion through the amorphous membrane at higher environmental acidity and constant ionic activity in the chloride-acidic solutions. This effect has been explained by a presence of two adsorpted hydrogen atomic forms (superficial and subsurface ones) on the specimen surface during the chemical treatment. Mentioned impact provides explicit changing by magnetic and mechanical properties of the alloy, and it is compared and approved using literature data. A scheme of the process has been proposed and verified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and magnetometry. Presented results can be interesting both from fundamental and practical standpoints in material science and technology of amorphous alloys.