An Automated Test Platform for High-Throughput Micro-Electrochemical Characterization of Metallic Materials and Its Application on a Fe–Cr–Ni Combinatorial Materials Chip

Abstract

An automated platform that can perform standard electrochemical tests at the micro-scale will greatly facilitate the electrochemical property screening of a combinatorial materials chip. Here we report an automated test platform for high-throughput characterization of metallic materials’ local electrochemical properties. It integrates four components, including a micro-electrochemical cell, an automatic liquid refresh system, a programmed scanning automated XYZ stage, and a control system. The high-throughput test cell array is constructed using capillary and lithography techniques. The automation is achieved by a Lab View program that can control all the components. We validated the system reliability by characterizing the surface electrochemical activity of the Fe-based alloy in a Fe–Cr–Ni combinatorial materials chip. Combining electron probe micro-analysis, X-ray diffraction, and the above local electrochemical tests, the relationship between composition, crystal structure, and the electrochemical properties of the Fe-based alloy has been established and discussed. The results demonstrate that this is a highly promising technique for high-efficiency data collection for database construction and corrosion-resistant material design.