Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition by Adsorbed Self Assembled Monolayers

Abstract

Abstract Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies on the microstructure of the phosphonic acid (PA) / Al (with native oxide) self assembled monolayer (SAM) system (a possible corrosion resistant coating interface monolayer) has been evaluated as a function of molecular chain length and processing conditions (i.e. adsorption time) in previous works. It was apparent from the AFM topography and phase images of the monolayer microstructure that the octadecylphosphonic acid (OPA) monolyer was the most conformal and showed little dependence on adsorption time (for times ≤ 24 hours). It was therefore chosen as the most promising monolayer compound of the PA/A1 system with which to study corrosion inhibiting properties. In this present work, AFM is used to study the corrosion inhibiting ability of OPA SAMs on aluminum, and also to investigate the “nucleation” and progression of Al corrosion and oxide formation in water at the nanometer level; with and without SAM passivation.