Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies of the Morphology and Kinetic Pathways for Corrosion Reactions of Stressed Materials.
Abstract
This research program improved our understanding of how surface chemical reactions, surface stress, and atomic level microstructure influence materials oxidation/corrosion processes. Central to this effort was the construction of a new scanning probe microscopy facility which now houses a UHV-STM and a combined STM/AFM for operation in both air and electrochemical environments. It was demonstrated that applied stress fields can influence the electrochemical pitting corrosion chemistry of pure aluminum and 2024-T3 alloy. The role that surface defects play in oxidation reactions involving graphitic surfaces was also examined. Here it was shown that surface defects, including ones occurring on the atomic level, can dominate the reactivity and morphological evolution of such surfaces. Finally, high-impedance STM imaging was used to elucidate the structure and domain boundary characteristics for adsorbed self- assembling molecular films, providing information that will be needed if such films are to be used for interface passivation. The basic science opportunities addressed in this program were quite significant, and have technological implications given current interest in corrosion prevention and developing an improved fundamental understanding for stress-corrosion cracking, a topic of obvious importance to the aircraft industry.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA318628
Entities
People
- Steven J. Sibener
Organizations
- University of Chicago