| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/L43022/01 |
| Title: |
MICROSCOPIC PROBES OF REACTIVITY IN ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEMS, APPLIED TO LOCALISED CORROSION INITIATION |
| Principal Investigator: |
Williams, Professor D |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Chemistry |
| Organisation: |
UCL |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 December 1997 |
Ends: |
30 November 1999 |
Value (£): |
147,796
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Electrochemical Science & Eng. |
Materials Characterisation |
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
|
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
The proposal is for extension of a current grant. We have successfully adapted a commercial AFM to produce a scanning electrochemical microscope which has superior spatial, temporal and current resolution. For the first time, small-scale spatial and temporal fluctuations of passive current density of stainless steel have been detected and the initiation of pitting corrosion from some such pa-scale fluctuations directly demonstrated. Probably, the very small changes which trigger pitting corrosion occur on or at certain sulphide-containing inclusions, but I have not yet proved this. A coherent theoretical description of why such very small changes in local passive current density should trigger such a dramatic event as pitting breakdown has not been achieved either. Therefore, the extension would aim: to find the key elements of topography and composition which trigger the corrosion; to confirm whether or not it is only sulphide inclusions which cause the critical fluctuations and identify the causal local chemistry which seems to make only some inclusions active; and to develop a rigorous theoretical description of the self-amplification of the small local fluctuations.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
|