Search

Surface spectroscopy analysis and electrochemistry were applied to study the effects of surface preparation by vibratory polishing on the passivity of stainless steel 304L surfaces. Compared to grinding by traditional mechanical polishing, vibratory polishing promotes the enrichment of Cr(III) oxide and hydroxide species in the duplex chemical structure of the surface native oxide film by enhancing selective Fe oxidation and dissolution. As a result, spontaneous passivity, tested in aggressive sulphuric acid electrolyte, is enhanced. However, in the absence of enrichment in Mo(IV) and Mo(VI) species in the passive film, the Cr enrichment does not enhance passivity upon anodic polarisation nor increase the resistance to Cl-induced passivity breakdown and initiation of localised corrosion in accelerated testing conditions. The results provide comprehensive insight into the mechanisms underlying the passivity enhancement of stainless steel by surface engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical interfaces are at the core of many important current applications, from corrosion and biophysics to electrocatalytic and battery interfaces. Further understanding in the processes taking place at these interfaces is often linked to better observation techniques. In situ or in operando imaging and characterization of the electrochemical interface helps improve our understanding of structural sequences and kinetics of complex processes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers a unique combination to monitor surface morphology and mechanical properties at micro‐ and nanoscale surfaces and solid–electrolyte interfaces. Two examples are given where the application of AFM during electrochemical processes is clearly useful. Organic inhibitors and their behavior play an important role in corrosion mitigation and the influence of thiol monolayers on dealloying is reported: Zinc films find application for coatings or Zn batteries and an in situ electrodeposition study is shortly described. With the ongoing improvement of computational simulations, the broadening of spatiotemporal scales possible with AFM imaging and its combination with mechanical information points in a prospective future for in operando AFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of cations on the corrosion of galvanized steel (GS) is scarcely reported. In this study, a wet–dry cyclic test was conducted to study NH4+, Na+, and Mg2+ cation effect on the corrosion behavior of GS available in Nepal. Fourteen wet–dry cycles (18 h wet and 6 h dry) were performed by exposing samples at 298 K with a relative humidity of 90% in a wet cycle and 50% in a dry cycle for 14 days. The cations strongly affect the corrosion rate of the GS sample estimated by weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization. The potentiodynamic polarization curves showed the inhibition of cathodic and anodic reactions by Mg2+ ion, while the NH4+ ion only changed the cathodic reaction. Mg2+ ion was found to shift the corrosion potential to noble values compared with NH4+ and Na+ ions. A compact and thin corrosion products layer was developed in Mg2+ salt solution in contrast to a thick and porous corrosion products layer in NH4+ and Na+ salt solutions. Red rust due to corrosion of underlying steel appeared in the presence of NH4+ and Na+ salt solutions. Finally, the weight loss data revealed that the corrosivity of cations for GS decreased in the order Na+ > NH4+ > Mg2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent‐assisted lipid bilayer (SALB) formation is emerged as a versatile approach in forming supported lipid membranes (SLBs) on metal surfaces, interesting platforms for transducing a biological signal to an electrical readout where vesicle rupture is not straightforward. Herein, the effect of the lipid concentration in the organic solvent, a key parameter controlling SALB, is addressed in the low and high concentration limits of 1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine lipid on a Au surface. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM‐D) responses are correlated with atomic force microscopy (AFM) topographic and nanomechanical measurements. Upon SALB completion at both concentrations, QCM‐D and AFM topographical characterization suggest the formation of thin, although incomplete, lipid layers at the Au–liquid interface, with frequency and dissipation plateau values departing from well‐established homogeneous SLB responses. Nanomechanical analysis reveals the presence of mostly monolayers at low concentration due to lack of lipid material, while at high concentration excess of lipid material leads to the coexistence of diverse structures. Their formation stems from the SALB formation mechanism, based on lyotropic transformations upon solvent exchange, which differs from customarily vesicle rupture. Such mechanism leads to peculiar two‐step features in approach force curves on SLBs pointing toward a decoupling in bilayer leaflets when supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigation of native and passive surface films formed on Ni-20 at.% Cr alloy surfaces. • Surface analysis by in situ electrochemical measurements combined with advanced ex situ surface analysis. • Mechanistic understanding of the effects of high-temperature hydrogen annealing pretreatment. • Enhanced corrosion resistance of electrochemically passivated surface by high-temperature hydrogen annealing pretreatment. • Increase in Cr enrichment of initially weakly protected sites of the inner barrier layer. The effect of high-temperature annealing under hydrogen gas (H 2) surface preparation on a binary polycrystalline Ni-20 at.% Cr alloy was investigated in comparison with conventional mechanical grinding surface preparation. Duplex surface films with inner Cr(III) oxide and outer Ni(II) and Cr(III) hydroxide layers natively formed before and after H 2 annealing were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. A thinner and less homogeneous inner barrier layer formed after H 2 annealing caused an oxidation peak at the active/passive transition in the linear sweep voltammetry measurement in a 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution. Despite this high oxidation peak, passivation of the H 2 annealed surface resulted in the formation of a more corrosion resistant inner layer than on the mechanically ground surface, as demonstrated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The corrosion resistant passive film formation of the H 2 annealed surface is attributed to the increased Cr enrichment of the inner layer caused by the selective Ni dissolution providing corrosion resistance to the initially weakly protected sites of the natively formed surface film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are excellent platforms for studying the biophysical properties of cell membranes. Among the existing approaches used to form SLBs, vesicle fusion and rupture onto solid supports are most commonly employed owing to their straightforward procedure. The current understanding of the mechanisms behind this approach has greatly benefited from the use of surface‐sensitive techniques, especially quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM‐D) in combination with other analytical techniques, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) or localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Herein, an overview of the pathways of vesicle adsorption and rupture under various experimental conditions is provided. Examples including recent findings of how the variation of the properties of lipid vesicles (size, charge), aqueous buffer (pH, ionic strength, osmotic pressure), and solid support (surface energy) affect the pathway mechanism of adsorption and rupture are provided. Recent reports on poorly understood properties such as surface roughness and topography are provided, together with the need for further studies relevant to biomimetic and sensing purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Electrochemical Interfaces b Fighting the degradation of materials clearly is an important endeavour for reaching a sustainable society. More details can be found in article number 2100470 by Frank Uwe Renner and co-workers. [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • Thermal pre-oxidation effects on passive film properties studied on stainless steel. • Combined surface analytical and electrochemical approach applied with closed transfer. • Thermal pre-oxidation improves corrosion resistance at active/passive transition. • Thermal pre-oxidation promotes the enrichment of molybdenum and chromium. • Thermal pre-oxidation enhances growth of the inner layer after anodic passivation. A combined X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time-of-fight secondary ion mass spectrometry and electrochemical approach was used to investigate the mechanisms of molybdenum and chromium enrichment of a passive film formed on a model austenitic stainless steel single crystal in aqueous acid media and the effect that thermal pre-oxidation at 250 ° C plays in the composition, thickness and stratification of the film. A clean FeCrNiMo (1 0 0)-oriented surface, prepared under ultra-high vacuum (UHV), was exposed to ultra-low pressures of oxygen at 250 ° C, forming a thin oxide film, rich in iron and chromium, as well as containing molybdenum. An argon-filled glovebox, directly attached to the UHV system, allowed for electrochemical alterations to be carried out without exposure to ambient air. After being held at open circuit potential for 30 min, hydroxylation of chromium and molybdenum was promoted, with a marked enrichment of both elements in the oxide film. A distinct bilayer film was observed. Anodic polarisation resulted in a significant growth of the inner layer and further enrichment of chromium. Pre-oxidation at 250 ° C, using an ultra-low pressure of oxygen, was found to promote protection against transient active dissolution during anodic passivation, and to cause enrichment of molybdenum in the outer layer of the passive film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PANI coating on mildsteel is reported in sodium-potassium tartrate (Na-K Tartrate) and benzoic acid in alcohol-water (BAW) system. • A new composition of the BAW system is optimized and used for aniline polymerization for the first time. • The PANI coating formed in Na-K Tartrate and BAW electrolyte is a pore-free, compact, and fine-grained nanostructured. • The new electrolyte systems do not show an anodic peak during the cathodic scan indicates superior cyclic stability. Polyaniline (PANI) is extensively researched as a corrosion protection coating for mild steel (MS) against acidic and neutral media. Corrosion inhibition performance of PANI coating on MS depends on the electrolytic solution employed for polymerization. In this study, the electropolymerization of aniline onto MS using sodium potassium tartrate (Na-K tartrate) and benzoic acid in the alcohol-water (BAW) medium is reported. The composition of BAW system was optimized and used for electropolymerization of aniline for the first time. The results showed the formation of a passive yet electro-conductive layer before the polymerization initiated. A compact layer with a fine structured PANI coating in both media was obtained. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) produced a stable PANI coating without showing anodic current in the cathodic scan. The concentration of aniline and electrolytes were optimized for better coating conditions. The prepared PANI coating was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM) in combination with energy dispersion spectrometer (EDX) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results of PANI coating in Na-K tartrate and BAW medium are compared with a standard PANI coating prepared in oxalic acid medium. The inhibition efficiencies of PANI coating obtained in Na-K tartrate and BAW were estimated to be 82.5 % and 99.99 %, respectively in 0.1 M NaCl solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the formation of supported lipid bilayers, which are important in various applications such as biosensors. The authors discuss different experimental conditions that can affect the formation of these bilayers, including the size and charge of lipid vesicles, pH, ionic strength, osmotic pressure of the aqueous buffer, and surface energy and topography of the solid support. The article also includes information about the authors and their research interests in lipid membrane biophysics and surface functionalization. [Extracted from the article]

This work reports the facile, controlled, and low-cost synthesis of a nickel oxide and polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites-based electrode material for supercapacitor application. PANI-NiO nanocomposites with varying concentrations of NiO were synthesized via in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. The XRD and FTIR support the interaction of PANI with NiO and the successful formation of the PANI-NiO-x nanocomposite. The SEM analysis showed that the NiO and PANI were mixed homogenously, in which the NiO nanomaterial was incorporated in porous PANI globular nanostructures. The multiple phases of the nanocomposite electrode material enhance the overall performance of the energy-storage behavior of the supercapacitor that was tested in 1 M H2SO4 using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Among the different nanocomposites, PANI-NiO-3 exhibit the specific capacitance of a 623 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density. Furthermore, the PANI-NiO-3 electrode retained 89.4% of its initial capacitance after 5000 cycles of GCD at a 20 A g−1 current density, indicating its significant cyclic stability. Such results suggest that PANI-NiO nanocomposite could be proposed as an appropriate electrode material for supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest in nano-sized lipid vesicles in nano-biotechnology relies on their use as mimics for endosomes, exosomes, and nanocarriers for drug delivery. The interactions between nanoscale size lipid vesicles and cell membranes involve spontaneous interbilayer lipid transfer by several mechanisms, such as monomer transfer or hemifusion. Experimental approaches toward monitoring lipid transfer between nanoscale-sized vesicles typically consist of transfer assays by fluorescence microscopy requiring the use of labels or calorimetric measurements, which in turn require a large amount of sample. Here, the capability of a label-free surface-sensitive method, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), was used to monitor lipid transfer kinetics at minimal concentrations and to elucidate how lipid physicochemical properties influence the nature of the transfer mechanism and dictate its dynamics. By studying time-dependent phase transitions obtained from nanoviscosity measurements, the transfer rates (unidirectional or bidirectional) between two vesicle populations consisting of lipids with the same head group and differing alkyl chain length can be estimated. Lipid transfer is asymmetric and unidirectional from shorter-chain lipid donor vesicles to longer-chain lipid acceptor vesicles. The transfer is dramatically reduced when the vesicle populations are incubated at temperatures below the melting of one of the vesicle populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This work explores MXene and cobalt oxide nanoparticle composites for supercapacitors. • The Co@MXene- composite exhibits a specific capacitance of 732.5 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. • The ASC device (Co@MXene-2//AC) demonstrates a maximum energy density of 26.6 Wh Kg−1 at 700 W Kg−1 power density. • Hierarchical MXene/transition metal oxide composite enhances electrochemical performance for energy storage. The 2D layered material, MXene has incited a lot of interest in energy storage research due to its high metallic conductivity, high hydrophilicity, high energy storage capability, biocompatibility, and excellent electrochemical activity due to rich surface chemistry. However, the restacking of MXene layers lowers the number of active sites in MXene, which in turn limits the use of MXene in supercapacitors. Furthermore, the narrow working potential window of MXene limits the energy density of the electrodes. To address these issues and improve the electrochemical performance of MXene, several hierarchical MXene/transition metal oxide composites have been synthesized and characterized. This work explores MXene and its composites with cobalt oxide nanoparticles for supercapacitor applications. The Co@MXene composite was synthesized by using a one-pot hydrothermal method. As prepared, the nanocomposite exhibited a specific capacitance of 732.5 F g−1 at 1 A g-1 current density and excellent cycling stability of 83% over 5000 cycles. The as-fabricated ASC device (Co@MXene-2//AC) demonstrates the maximum energy density of 26.6 Wh Kg−1 at 700 W Kg−1 power density. The above results illustrate that MXene/transition metal oxide nanocomposite can be an alternative to enhance electrochemical performance for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of conjugated polyelectrolytes as cathode interlayers in organic photovoltaics has been proven to be an effective way to boost the device efficiency. Nevertheless, more detailed investigations of the structure–property relationships of these interlayer materials, in particular related to the film deposition behavior, can provide further insights into their mode of action. With this aim, a series of ionic (co)polythiophenes is successfully synthesized via Kumada catalyst-transfer condensation polymerization and subsequent introduction of ionic moieties on the polymer side chains. Both the topology (i.e. homopolymers, random and block copolymers) and the amount of ionic groups are systematically varied. The polymers are fully characterized and then applied as cathode interlayers in polymer solar cells based on PCDTBT:PC 71 BM, affording an average efficiency increase of ∼15%. The structural screening on one hand indicates that the efficiency gain is a rather general phenomenon for this material class. On the other hand, the best photovoltaic responses are observed for the conjugated polyelectrolytes with a higher triethylene glycol side chain ratio and the block copolymer structure performs slightly better as compared to the random copolymer with the same (50/50) monomer ratio. Based on these findings, the field can move on to a more rational development of novel interfacial materials and thereby push the device efficiency even further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simplistic correlations between molecular parameters and corrosion inhibition efficiencies critically evaluated. • 24 heterocyclic organic compounds tested as corrosion inhibitors for Cu in 3 wt.% NaCl aqueous solution. • None among usually considered molecular parameters correlates with inhibition efficiency. • Pros and cons of the inhibition efficiency (IE) metric discussed: IE suffers from nonlinearity. • Inhibition power proposed as a new metric for evaluating the performance of corrosion inhibitors. The often used simplistic correlations between molecular electronic parameters and experimentally determined corrosion inhibition efficiencies are critically evaluated for a set of 24 heterocyclic organic compounds, tested as corrosion inhibitors for copper in 3 wt.% NaCl aqueous solution. Twelve different molecular electronic descriptors—such as ionization potential, electron affinity, HOMO–LUMO gap, dipole moment—are tested and it is shown that none of them displays any noticeable correlation with the inhibition efficiency. Our results, therefore, cast serious doubt on reported correlations between such parameters and inhibition efficiency, obtained for only a few inhibitors, which are abundant in the literature. We also discuss some pros and cons of inhibition efficiency as a metric for evaluating the performance of corrosion inhibitors, and introduce a new metric termed inhibition power that uses the universal logarithmic scale and dimensionless decibel (dB) units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]