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Corrosion behaviour of sputter-deposited Mg–Zr alloys was examined in a borate buffer solution of pH 8.7. XRD measurements showed that the alloys were supersaturated with Zr. The addition of 29 at.% Zr or more was very effective in increasing the corrosion resistance of Mg by more than four orders of magnitude. XPS analysis of spontaneously formed passive films revealed that the passive film consisted of double oxyhydroxide composed of enriched tetravalent Zr and divalent Mg cations. The enrichment of Zr cations in the passive film is responsible for the enhanced corrosion resistance of Mg–Zr alloys.

The electrochemical behavior of Cu–Ni alloys with different Ni contents (5–65 mass%) in acidic sulfate solutions was investigated. The effects of working conditions e.g. concentration of sulfate ions, immersion time and temperature were studied and discussed. In this respect, open-circuit potential measurements, polarization techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used. Potentiodynamic measurements revealed that the increase in the Ni content improves the stability of the Cu–Ni alloys. The polarization measurements were confirmed by EIS experiments. The stability of the alloys with higher Ni contents is due to the increased amount of Ni in the surface film. The corrosion process of the cupronickels in the acidic sulfate solution was found to be diffusion controlled. The experimental impedance data were fitted to theoretical data according to an equivalent circuit model representing the electrode/electrolyte interface.

The efficiency of cysteine as a non-toxic corrosion inhibitor for copper metal in 0.6 M NaCl and 1.0 M HCl has been investigated by electrochemical studies. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy “EIS” were used to study the effect of cysteine on the corrosion inhibition of copper. Inhibition efficiency of about 84% could be achieved in chloride solutions. The presence of Cu 2+ ions increases the inhibition efficiency to 90%. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements showed that the presence of cysteine in acidic and neutral chloride solutions affects mainly the cathodic process and decreases the corrosion current to a great extent and shifts the corrosion potential towards more negative values. The experimental impedance data were analyzed according to a proposed equivalent circuit model for the electrode/electrolyte interface. Results obtained from potentiodynamic polarization and impedance measurements are in good agreement. Adsorption of cysteine on the surface of Cu, in neutral and acidic chloride solutions, follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The adsorption free energy of cysteine on Cu (∼−25 kJ mol −1 ) reveals a strong physical adsorption of the inhibitor on the metal surface.

Poly( o -tolidine), PoT, film was prepared by electrochemical oxidation of the monomer, oT, in 0.1 M HCl + 0.1 M KClO 4 . The presence of KClO 4 in the formation medium was found to be essential for the electropolymerization process to proceed. Increasing the upper potential limit up to +1.5 V, instead of +1.0 V, leads to appearance of a new anodic peak at +1.36 V and enhancement of the polymer formation of PoT without changing the film structure. The electrochemical behavior of the formed polymer films was investigated in 1.0 M HClO 4 . The kinetic parameters were calculated from the values of the charge consumed during the electropolymerization process. The rate of the polymerization reaction was found to depend on the concentration of the monomer rather than the electrolyte. The polymerization rate is first order with respect to the monomer concentration and zero order with respect to the electrolyte. The electrolyte plays no active role in the kinetics of the electropolymerization process and its role is most likely limited to polymer doping.

The optimum conditions for the electrochemical preparation of poly(1-amino-9,10-anthraquinone), PAAQ, films in environmentally safe aqueous solutions were investigated. The conducting polymer films were prepared by electrochemical oxidation of 1-amino-9,10-anthraquinone, AAQ, in sulfuric acid solutions in the potential range from 0.0 to +1.3 V. The influence of scan repetition, scan rate, and monomer concentration on the formation process and the properties of the polymer film were studied. The electrochemical response of the formed polymer film was investigated in both aqueous and non-aqueous media. The polymer films were found to be stable in aqueous acidic media. In non-aqueous solutions, like acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide and dioxin, the polymer films showed remarkable degradation. The best electrochemical response of the PAAQ films was found to be in the potential range between +0.3 and +0.9 V. The presence of quinone units in the polymer film chain suggests promising applications of these conducting polymers in lightweight (rechargeable) batteries, electrochromic display devices, and biosensor and corrosion protection.

The electrochemical behavior of Cu–Ni alloys in acidic chloride medium was investigated. Commercial Cu–Ni alloys were investigated using potentiodynamic techniques, complemented by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The influence of alloy composition, chloride ion concentration and immersion time on the electrochemical response of the alloys was analyzed. Results of present investigations with pure metals (Cu and Ni) are also considered in this paper for the sake of comparison. Potentiodynamic measurements reveal that the increase in nickel content decreases the corrosion rate of the alloy and when the nickel content exceeds 30%, an increase in the corrosion rate was recorded. Also, the corrosion current density increases with increasing the concentration of chloride ions up to 0.6 M. The experimental impedance data were fitted to an equivalent circuit model representing the electrode/electrolyte interface. The relevance of the proposed model to the corrosion/passivation phenomena occurring at the electrode/solution interface was discussed.

The corrosion inhibition of Cu–Ni alloys was investigated in aqueous chloride solutions using amino acids as environmentally safe materials. The corrosion rate was calculated in absence and presence of the corrosion inhibitor using polarization and impedance techniques. The inhibition efficiency of the different amino acids was also calculated. The experimental results have shown that a simple amino acid like glycine can be used as efficient corrosion inhibitor for the Cu–Ni alloys in neutral chloride solutions. An inhibition efficiency of about 85% could be achieved at very low concentrations of the amino acid (0.1 mM). For low Ni content alloy (Cu–5Ni), 2.0 mM cysteine shows a remarkable high (∼96%) corrosion inhibition efficiency. The experimental impedance data were fitted to theoretical data according to a proposed equivalent circuit model for the electrode/electrolyte interface, and the mechanism of the corrosion inhibition process was suggested. Different adsorption isotherms were tested and the corrosion inhibition process was found to depend on the adsorption of the amino acid molecules and/or the deposition of corrosion products on the alloy surface. The adsorption free energy of cysteine on Cu–5Ni (−37.81 kJ mol−1) reveals a strong physical adsorption of the inhibitor on the alloy surface.

The effect of systematic increase of Ni content on the electrochemical behavior of the Cu–Ni alloys in neutral chloride solutions was investigated. The pitting corrosion behavior of Cu–Ni alloys with different Ni contents, namely, 5, 10, 30 and 65 mass% Ni, in a stagnant 0.6 mol dm−3 NaCl solution of pH 7.0 was studied. The effect of chloride ion concentration on the electrochemical behavior of these alloys was also investigated. The results show that the increase in nickel content decreases the corrosion rate of the alloys in the neutral chloride solution. The increase of chloride concentration up to 0.3 mol dm−3 increases the corrosion rate. At higher concentrations ([Cl−] > 0.3 mol dm−3) the corrosion rate decreases due to the hydrolysis of Cu(I) chloride to form the passive Cu(I) oxide film. The breakdown potential depends on the chloride ion concentration and the nickel content of the alloy. For these investigations conventional electrochemical techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used. The impedance measurements have shown that the increase of the Ni content and the immersion time of the alloys in the chloride solution increase the corrosion resistance of the alloys. The experimental impedance data were fitted to theoretical values according to a proposed equivalent circuit model.

The electrochemical behaviour of brasses with various Zn content (5.5–38) and brass (Cu–38Zn) with different Pb content (1.3–3.3) in borate solution, pH 9.0, was investigated. The effects of applied potential and the presence of aggressive Cl− ions were also studied. Different electrochemical methods such as open-circuit potential measurements, polarization techniques and electrochemical impedence spectroscopy (EIS) were used. Increase in zinc content decreases the corrosion rate of brass in borate solution exponentially. Long immersion of leaded brasses and alloys with different Zn content improves their stability due to the formation of a passive film. The passive film formation under open-circuit and potentiostatic conditions proceeds via dissolution–precipitation mechanism. The addition of a low concentration of Cl− ion (0.01 M) to the borate solution increases the corrosion rate of Cu–38Zn due to dezincification. Increase in Cl− ion concentration (0.01–0.2 M) decreases the corrosion rate of the brass exponentially due to formation of insoluble CuCl. For Cl− ion concentrations >0.2 M the corrosion rate of the brass increases again due to the formation of the soluble CuCl2− complex.

Amorphous manganese-rich (67/80 at.%) Mn/Ta/Cr alloy films were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering method. The corrosion behavior and stability of the Mn/Ta/Cr alloy films were examined in chloride-free and -containing 1 M H2SO4. AC and DC electrochemical techniques in combination with XPS analysis were used. Mn/Ta/Cr alloys exhibited very high corrosion resistance and stability up to transpassive dissolution region of chromium. The high corrosion resistance of Mn/Ta/Cr sputtered films is based on the formation of double oxyhydroxide passive film composed mainly of chromium and tantalum. The partial substitution of tantalum with chromium improves the corrosion resistance of the sputter-deposited alloys via accelerating the preferential dissolution of manganese and stabilizing alloy/passive film interface. A change in the passive film structure was observed when the alloys were anodically polarized at potentials higher than 0.6 V (SCE). # 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poly(1-amino-9,10-anthraquinone), PAAQ, films were prepared by electrochemical oxidation of the monomer, AAQ, in acetonitrile using LiClO 4 as supporting electrolyte. The influence of scan repetition, scan rate and monomer concentration on the formation of polymer film was studied. The electrochemical behavior of the formed polymer films was investigated in both non-aqueous and aqueous media. The prepared films were found to be more stable in organic solvents than in aqueous solutions. The investigated organic solvents are methanol, ethanol, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, and chloroform. The polymer film shows electrochemical response in both non-aqueous and aqueous media. In non-aqueous solutions it has a wide potential range of electroactivity (from −1.5 to +1.3 V). In aqueous media the polymer film shows electrochemical response in the potential range between −0.3 and +1.3 V only. The presence of quinone units suggests potential applications in diverse areas such as electrocatalytic processes and lithium ion batteries.

A 43-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department after a cardiac arrest of unknown etiology. The patient's medical history was unremarkable except for surgery to remove a mediastinal lipoma two years earlier. In the intensive care unit, he was observed to have a mass bulging from the left chest wall. Echocardiography showed cardiac herniation through the chest wall, which was confirmed by thoracic computed tomographic scan.