Acid Anodizing Research Articles

Assessment of surface treatment methods for strengthening the interfacial adhesion in CARALL fiber metal laminates

Metal and polymer interface bonding significantly influences the mechanical performance of fiber metal laminates (FMLs). Therefore, the effect of surface treatments (mechanical abrasion, nitric acid etching, P2 etching, sulfuric acid anodizing (SAA), and electric discharge machine (EDM) texturing) carried on aluminum 2024-T3 alloy sheets was evaluated considering surface morphology, surface topography, and surface roughness. Further, the influence of surface treatments on interfacial adhesion strength and failure mode between the aluminum alloy and carbon fiber prepreg was investigated. The surface treatments increased the surface roughness of the aluminum substrates. Surfaces treated using SAA, nitric acid, and P2 etchant showed improved wettability, while mechanically abraded and EDM textured substrates showcased hydrophobic behavior. The selected surface treatments significantly affected interfacial adhesion between the epoxy polymer and aluminum alloy. SAA and EDM texturing greatly enhanced the interfacial peel strength of FMLs. In the case of interfacial shear strength, EDM textured substrate showed superior performance, followed by SAA. Moreover, untreated and mechanically abraded specimens exhibited weaker bonding and adhesive failure at the aluminum-epoxy interface, whilst chemical treatments resulted in mixed model failure. EDM textured surface underwent cohesive failure, while a dominant mixed mode failure and fiber adhesion were observed in the SAA-treated specimen.

Investigating the failure mechanism of an aircraft longeron fitting and devising the mitigation techniques

This study focuses on determining the root cause of crack development in a longeron fitting of a cargo aircraft followed by devising of appropriate mitigation strategy to prevent such failure. This objective is realized through a combination of experimental and computational analyses. The experimental thrust involves compositional, microstructural, and fractographic analyses to determine if there is a variation in composition and microstructure and to observe the failure signs and crack morphology. No deviation from the constituent material (i.e., Aluminum 7075-T6 alloy) in terms of composition and microstructure was noticed. Further fractographic analysis revealed fatigue striation marks and corrosion products near the crack initiation point. The experimental results were validated through computational analysis by calculating stresses and fatigue life of longeron fitting to confirm the cause of failure. The analysis helped in ruling out the design flaw or fatigue loads as the primary causes of crack development. Consequently, the failure is attributed to the corrosion pitting on the open side of the fitting due to exposure to the marine atmosphere which weakened the structure and the subsequent failure occurred due to the fatigue phenomenon. Subsequently, a mitigation technique was developed to prevent corrosion-assisted crack growth by coating the specimens with two distinct coatings, Sulphuric Acid Anodizing (SAA) and Chromic Acid Anodizing (CAA). These specimens were then subjected to salt spray tests and exposed to the environment. SAA coating proved to have better corrosion-resistant properties than the original (uncoated) and CAA-coated samples, confirming it to be a viable mitigation approach. The study will be beneficial in preventing failure in aircraft structures that are exposed to marine environments.

Investigation of Water Dissociation Catalyst Layer Configurations for Bipolar Membrane Water Electrolzyers

Water electrolysis is a promising technology for the production of sustainable green hydrogen. Alkaline exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) operate at low current densities (<1.0 Acm-2) and low pressures (<30 bars), and have very long operating lifetimes (over 100,000 h) [1]. On the other hand, proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) are able to operate at high current densities (>2.0 Acm-2) and pressures (>300 bars), but rely on expensive platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts (Pt, Ir) with a shorter lifetime (80,000 h, 2026 DoE target) [1, 2]. In order to bridge this gap, a newer, under-investigated configuration may have significant advantages: bipolar membranes.Bipolar membranes (BPMs) for water electrolysis consist of two membrane layers: a cation exchange layer (CEL) and anion exchange layer (AEL). This allows the electrolyzer to operate with a high pH gradient with an acidic cathode and basic anode (reverse bias) [3]. Operation in reverse bias mode allows for optimal pH conditions for the half-cell reaction kinetics for a BPM electrolyzer. The BPM aims to maximize OH- and H+ transport, promoting kinetically favorable conditions.BPMs face significant challenges with respect to both performance and durability. BPMs have demonstrated low operational current density compared to PEMWEs [4-6]. Traditional BPMs experienced catalyst layer delamination, failure due to “ballooning”, and significant ohmic resistance, all of which drastically limit cell performance and durability. One method for mitigating all three failure modes is the inclusion of a water dissociation (WD) catalyst at the interlayer. The WD interlayer can mitigate water buildup at the CEL—AEL interface, and can reduce the ionic resistance between the two dissimilar layers. It is vitally important to have a mechanically stable membrane configuration while achieving high performance. BPMs without a well-designed ionomer junction cannot operate effectively without the inclusion of a catalyst at the interlayer junction [7].In this work, reactive spray deposition technology (RSDT) was used to fabricate low loaded, high electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) catalysts as WD interlayers for BPMs. Polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and distribution of relaxation times are used to investigate cell performance and short-term durability.

Mechanism and kinetics of scorodite formation in arsenic-bearing solutions using Fe(OH)3 as a solid iron source

Recently, solid iron sources have been used for scorodite synthesis in arsenic-bearing wastewater from nonferrous metallurgy. Immobilising arsenic-solution as scorodite via iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)3) solid iron source is an important method for controlling arsenic pollution. The evolution behavior of scorodite during its formation in high arsenic solution have been rarely investigated. In this paper, the mechanism and kinetics of scorodite formation using Fe(OH)3 in arsenic-bearing solution were investigated. This work was divided into three parts. Firstly, the influencing parameters were investigated, revealing that the dissolution of Fe(OH)3 and scorodite generation accelerated at lower initial pH and higher reaction temperature. Increasing Fe/As ratio delayed scorodite crystallisation, which was in turn enhanced by elevating arsenic concentration. Secondly, the mechanism of scorodite formation was investigated, revealing that Fe(OH)3 underwent acidic dissolution to form a precursor. Subsequent scorodite formation had a ΔrGmθ ranging from −69.39 kJ·mol−1 to −15.64 kJ·mol−1. Residual As was absorbed and converted into Fe(OH)3@scorodite. Thirdly, the chemical kinetics were investigated, showing that activation energy (Ea) for Fe(OH)3 dissolution was 72.54 and 105.37 kJ·mol−1 at Stages I and II, respectively, whereas it was 105.97 kJ·mol−1 for residual As absorption-conversion at Stage III outweighing the Ea of As-Fe coprecipitation. The restrictive steps were Fe(OH)3 dissolution and residual arsenic absorption-conversion. This proposed method can be applied for environment-friendly treatment of 10－40 g/L of arsenic-bearing industrial effluent for scorodite formation. Overall, this research confirmed the formation of scorodite via Fe(OH)3 and can potentially provide feasible schemes for eliminating arsenic-bearing acidic waste, dust, and anode slime from nonferrous metallurgical processes.

Effect of Citric Acid Hard Anodizing on the Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of Different Aluminum Alloys.

Hard anodizing is used to improve the anodic films' mechanical qualities and aluminum alloys' corrosion resistance. Applications for anodic oxide coatings on aluminum alloys include the space environment. In this work, the aluminum alloys 2024-T3 (Al-Cu), 6061-T6 (Al-Mg-Si), and 7075-T6 (Al-Zn) were prepared by hard anodizing electrochemical treatment using citric and sulfur acid baths at different concentrations. The aim of the work is to observe the effect of citric acid on the microstructure of the substrate, the mechanical properties, the corrosion resistance, and the morphology of the hard anodic layers. Hard anodizing was performed on three different aluminum alloys using three citric-sulfuric acid mixtures for 60 min and using current densities of 3.0 and 4.5 A/dm2. Vickers microhardness (HV) measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to determine the mechanical characteristics and microstructure of the hard anodizing material, and electrochemical techniques to understand the corrosion kinetics. The result indicates that the aluminum alloy 6061-T6 (Al-Mg-Si) has the maximum hard-coat thickness and hardness. The oxidation of Zn and Mg during the anodizing process found in the 7075-T6 (Al-Zn) alloy promotes oxide formation. Because of the high copper concentration, the oxide layer that forms on the 2024-T6 (Al-Cu) Al alloy has the lowest thickness, hardness, and corrosion resistance. Citric and sulfuric acid solutions can be used to provide hard anodizing in a variety of aluminum alloys that have corrosion resistance and mechanical qualities on par with or better than traditional sulfuric acid anodizing.

Effect of chromic acid anodization on the corrosion resistance of laser cladding austenitic stainless steel coatings based on orthogonal tests

In this paper, Ni transition layer and Fe-based alloy coatings were prepared on HT250 by laser cladding technology, and the corrosion resistance of the coatings was further enhanced by the chromic acid anodization (CAA) surface treatment process. The effects of time (t), current intensity (I), and temperature (T) on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of the coating after CAA were explored based on the three-factor and three-level orthogonal test method. The results show that after CAA, the intergranular morphology of the coating is corroded, the intragranular organization is exposed and protrudes, and the micro-morphology shows a multi-layer "skeleton" overlapping structure. The main phases were transformed from γ-Fe (FCC) to CrNi (FCC) and FeNi (BCC). The corrosion residue of the original coating is a lamellar metal-carbide weave, whereas the CAA coating is fibrous. The order of influence of CAA process parameters on corrosion depth and maximum impedance value is I >t >T. I on the degree of densification of the passivated film is 1.03 and 1.81 times higher than T and t, respectively. The best corrosion resistance of the sample was obtained at t = 30 min, I = 0.1 A, and T = 40 ℃, and its corrosion rate (2.83 × 10−3 g/m2·h) was 29.88 % lower than the original coating (4.03 × 10–3 g/m2·h).

Anodizing of AA2024 Aluminum–Copper Alloy in Citric-Sulfuric Acid Solution: Effect of Current Density on Corrosion Resistance

Al–Cu alloys are widely used as a structural material in the manufacture of commercial aircraft due to their high mechanical properties such as hardness, strength, low density, and tolerance to fatigue damage and corrosion. One of the main problems of these Al–Cu alloy systems is their low corrosion resistance. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of anodizing parameters on aluminum–copper alloy (AA 2024) using a bath of citric-sulfuric acid with different anodizing current densities on the thickness, microhardness, and corrosion resistance of the anodized layer. Hard anodizing is performed on AA 2024 Al–Cu alloy in mixtures of solutions composed of citric and sulfuric acid at different concentrations for 60 min and using current densities (i) of 0.03, 0.045, and 0.06 A/cm2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the surface morphology and thickness of the anodized layer. The mechanical properties of the hard anodized material are evaluated using the Vickers hardness test. The electrochemical techniques use cyclic potentiodynamic polarization curves (CPPC) according to ASTM-G6 and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) according to ASTM-G61 and ASTM-G106, respectively, in the electrolyte of NaCl at 3.5 wt. % as a simulation of the marine atmosphere. The results indicate that corrosion resistance anodizing in citric-sulfuric acid solutions with a current density of 0.06 A/cm2 is the best with a corrosion current density (jcorr) of 1.29 × 10−8 A/cm2. It is possible to produce hard anodizing with citric and sulfuric acid solutions that exhibit mechanical properties and corrosion resistance similar or superior to conventional sulfuric acid anodizing.

Microstructural and Electrochemical Study: Pitting Corrosion Mechanism on A390 Al-Si Alloy and Ce-Mo Treatment as a Better Corrosion Protection.

Sulfuric acid anodizing assisted by a hydrothermal sealing with inhibitors [Ce3+-Mo6+] was used to prevent pitting corrosion on spray-deposited hypereutectic Al-Si alloy (A390). An investigation concerning the evaluation of pitting corrosion resistance on the anodic oxide thin film with ions incorporated was carried out in NaCl solution using electrochemical measurements (i.e., potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS). The influence of Si phase morphology and size on the growth mechanism of an anodic oxide film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results were then compared with those for its equivalent IM390 alloy (Al-17Si-4.5Cu-0.6Mg) produced through a conventional process ingot metallurgy, IM. The electrochemical findings indicate that sulfuric acid anodizing followed by a simple hot water sealing treatment was ineffective. In this manner, an intense attack was localized by pitting corrosion that occurred on the anodic oxide film in less than three days, as denoted by characteristic changes in the EIS spectra at the lowest frequencies. Improved results were achieved for Ce-Mo surface modification, which can provide better corrosion resistance on the aluminum alloys because no signs of pits were observed during the corrosion testing.

Incorporation of Anions into Anodic Alumina-A New Track in Cr(VI) Anodizing Substitution?

Aluminum technical alloys are well known for their outstanding mechanical properties, especially after heat treatment. However, quenching and aging, which improve the mechanical properties, by the formation of Cu-rich zones and phases that are coherent with the matrix and block the dislocation motion, cause uneven distribution of the elements in the alloy and consequently make it prone to corrosion. One method providing satisfactory corrosion protection of aluminum alloys is anodizing. On an industrial scale, it is usually carried out in electrolytes containing chromates that were found to be cancerogenic and toxic. Therefore, much effort has been undertaken to find substitutions. Currently, there are many Cr(VI)-free substitutes like tartaric-sulfuric acid anodizing or citric-sulfuric acid anodizing. Despite using such approaches even on the industrial scale, Cr(VI)-based anodizing still seems to be superior; therefore, there is an urge to find more complex but more effective approaches in anodizing. The incorporation of anions into anodic alumina from the electrolytes is a commonly known effect. Researchers used this phenomenon to entrap various other anions and organic compounds into anodic alumina to change their properties. In this review paper, the impact of the incorporation of various corrosion inhibitors into anodic alumina on the corrosion performance of the alloys is discussed. It is shown that Mo compounds are promising, especially when combined with organic acids.

Silver-Doped Titanium Oxide Layers for Improved Photocatalytic Activity and Antibacterial Properties of Titanium Implants.

Titanium has a long history of clinical use, but the naturally forming oxide is not ideal for bacterial resistance. Anodization processes can modify the crystallinity, surface topography, and surface chemistry of titanium oxides. Anatase, rutile, and mixed phase oxides are known to exhibit photocatalytic activity (PCA)-driven bacterial resistance under UVA irradiation. Silver additions are reported to enhance PCA and reduce bacterial attachment. This study investigated the effects of silver-doping additions to three established anodization processes. Silver doping showed no significant influence on oxide crystallinity, surface topography, or surface wettability. Oxides from a sulfuric acid anodization process exhibited significantly enhanced PCA after silver doping, but silver-doped oxides produced from phosphoric-acid-containing electrolytes did not. Staphylococcus aureus attachment was also assessed under dark and UVA-irradiated conditions on each oxide. Each oxide exhibited a photocatalytic antimicrobial effect as indicated by significantly decreased bacterial attachment under UVA irradiation compared to dark conditions. However, only the phosphorus-doped mixed anatase and rutile phase oxide exhibited an additional significant reduction in bacteria attachment under UVA irradiation as a result of silver doping. The antimicrobial success of this oxide was attributed to the combination of the mixed phase oxide and higher silver-doping uptake levels.

Structure and properties of the hot pressing molded anodized aluminum alloy/polyformaldehyde hybrids

The metal-plastic hybrid is one of the important solutions for lightweight and high-strength composite. The anodized aluminum alloy（AAA）/polyformaldehyde（POM） hybrids with excellent mechanical properties were processed by the hot pressing technology. The surface of the aluminum alloy plate was firstly pretreated with phosphoric acid and oxalic acid anodizing, resulting in a large number of micro-nano scale pores on the surface. These pores were well embedded with plastic melt during hot pressing to form micro-nano mechanical interlocking structures and the Al–O–C chemical bond at the interface is generated, thus ensuring good bonding strength at the metal and plastic interface. The maximum tensile-shear strength of the metal-plastic hybrid was 30.65 MPa, meanwhile, the metal-plastic interface failure presented mainly a mixed failure mode, including resin removal from the metal surface and plastic tearing from the plastic surface. At the same time, the salt spray test, thermal shock test, and variable temperature test were adopted to investigate the application performance of the metal-plastic hybrid. The Al/POM hybrids were able to maintain their mechanical strength above 20 MPa for 28 days in a salt spray environment, 14 times in a thermal shock cycle, and at high temperatures. The high mechanical strength of hybrid has good potential for automotive applications.

The Effect of Sulfuric Acid Anodization on the Electrochemical Properties of Aluminum Alloy AlSi10Mg Prepared by Selective Laser Melting

Aluminum alloy, AlSi10Mg, prepared by selective laser melt (SLM) fabrication was anodized in 9.8% sulfuric acid (Type II) at 15 V for a total of 23 min. Experiments were performed to study the potentiostatic anodization process and its effects on the oxide coating morphology, thickness, and electrochemical properties of the alloy. Prior to anodization, the alloy microstructure is composed of aluminum cells encapsulated in a silicon network. Anodizing the abraded and polished AlSi10Mg surface produced a porous oxide layer with a thickness of 5 μm. The oxide coating weight was 698 ± 29 mg/ft2. The oxide coating forms in the aluminum cells that are isolated from one another by the silicon eutectic phase. In electrochemical tests, the anodic and cathodic potentiodynamic polarization currents were suppressed by factors of 15× and 215×, respectively, as compared to the unanodized controls. The data indicate the anodic oxide coating suppresses the cathodic more than the anodic reaction rate. Linear polarization resistance (R p) values increased by 279× after anodization. The corrosion current density values (j corr) decreased by 133× after anodization. Taken together, the electrochemical data indicate the anodic oxide coating (unsealed) increases the corrosion resistance of the SLM alloy by two orders of magnitude.

Coupled electrochemical crystallization-electrocoagulation-flocculation process for efficient removal of hardness and silica from reverse osmosis concentrate

The benign electrochemical technologies are the promising methods for the reuse of reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) by softening and removing silica, whereas its low treatment performance and high energy consumption limit its wide industrial application. In this study, an undivided electrochemical crystallization cell with the extraction of acid anode boundary layer was developed for the production of the alkaline effluent, where the removal of hardness and silica occurred by the homogeneous crystallization reactions. This process was further improved in the electrocoagulation cell because coagulants enhance the removal of crystalline particles and accelerate the settling of the crystals. Under optimal conditions, the system showed a removal efficiency of 90 % for total hardness, 76 % for Mg hardness, and 82 % for silica, with an energy consumption of only 2.4 kWh m−3. The removal of Ca hardness in the forms of calcite and aragonite was impeded by the presence of Mg2+. But the coexistence of silica promoted Ca hardness removal since the reaction between Mg2+ and silica with the formation of sepiolite mitigated the inhibitory effect of Mg2+ on CaCO3 precipitation. The coupled electrochemical crystallization-electrocoagulation-flocculation technique provides an energy-efficient solution for the removal of hardness and silica from ROC, therefore improving the water utilization in industry.

Design, Manufacturing, and Testing of a Metallic Fuselage Panel Incorporating New Alloys and Environmentally Friendly Technologies

Within the ecoTECH project, a new fuselage section was designed based on an existing business jet panel, aiming to incorporate innovative technologies and environmentally friendly approaches. The Metallic Fuselage Panel Demonstrator developed in this project integrates the most promising technologies previously developed in the areas of manufacturing methods, including mechanical milling and friction stir welding, as well as surface treatments such as sol-gel and thin film sulphuric acid anodizing, along with a Chrome-free primer applied on a new Al-Cu-Li alloy structure. Two types of full-scale testing were performed to mature the newly developed technologies and assess the performance of the demonstrator. The first was a Static Full-Scale Test Demonstrator, designed and manufactured to undergo static full-scale testing. This testing evaluated the structural integrity and performance of the panel under various load conditions, representative of an operational aircraft, including compression, shear, pressure, tension, and combinations of these forces. The second type of testing conducted concerned endurance. Similar to the static test demonstrator, this demonstrator was subjected to fatigue to assess its durability and long-term performance by simulating representative flight loading spectrum of a business jet aircraft and providing valuable insights into the panel’s ability to withstand prolonged operational conditions. The successful completion of these phases in the ecoTECH project represents a significant milestone, demonstrating the effective integration of innovative manufacturing methods and environmentally friendly surface treatments for new aluminum alloys in the development of innovative environmentally friendly technologies. The project’s outcomes contribute to the advancement of sustainable and efficient technologies in the aerospace industry, providing a foundation for the future development of aircraft structures with improved performance, durability, and reduced environmental impact.

Isotopic Tracer Study of Initiation of Porosity in Anodic Alumina Formed in Chromic Acid.

In this paper, we focused on the initiation of porosity in the anodic alumina under galvanostatic conditions in chromic acid, using an 18O isotope tracer. The general concept of the initiation and growth of porous anodic oxide films on metals has undergone constant development over many years. A mechanism of viscous flow of the oxide from the barrier layer to the pore walls has recently been proposed. In this work, two types of pre-formed oxide films were analysed: pure Al2O3 formed in chromic acid, and a film containing As ions formed in a sodium arsenate solution. Both were anodized in chromic acid for several different time durations. Both pre-formed films contained the oxygen isotope 18O. The locations and quantities of 18O and As were analysed by means of ion accelerator-based methods supported by transmission electron microscopy. The significant difference observed between the two oxide films is in the 18O distribution following the second step of anodization, when compared with galvanostatic anodization in phosphoric or sulfuric acid reported in previous works. From the current experiment, it is evident that a small amount of As in the pre-formed barrier layer appears to alter the ionic conductivity of the film; thus, somehow, it inhibits the movement of oxygen ions ahead of advancing pores during anodization in chromic acid. However, anodising pure alumina film under these conditions does not enhance oxygen movement within the oxide layer. In addition, the tracer stays in the outer part of the growing porous oxide film. A lower-than-expected value for pure alumina enrichment in 18O in the pre-formed films suggests, indirectly, that the pre-formed film may contain hydrogen species, as well as trapped electrons, since no Cr is detected. This may lead to the presence of space charge distribution, which has a dual effect: it both retards the ejection of Al3+ ions and prevents O2- ions from migrating inward. Thus, the negative- and positive-charge distributions might play a role in the initiation of pores via a flow mechanism.

Degradation Processes in Bipolar Membrane CO2-Electrolysis Studied by Time-Resolved X-Ray Tomography

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide via CO2 co-electrolysis (CO2ELY) is an essential process to produce non-fossil chemical feedstock acting as CO2 sink. The required electrical energy can be harvested from temporal surplus of renewable energy sources like solar or wind. Employing a bipolar electrolyte membrane (BPM) in forward-bias is a promising approach to mitigate fundamental problems of the current technological fore-runner design that employs an anion exchange membrane (AEM). We employed synchrotron time-resolved X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM) to study degradation processes in BPM CO2ELY.In forward-bias BPM co-electrolysis, the cation exchange layer (CEL) faces the anode to provide favorable acidic conditions for the oxygen evolution reaction. Such acidic anode allows using pure water as electrolyte eliminating the salt precipitation at the cathode observed for AEM CO2ELY. As the second major issue in AEM CO2ELY, (bi)carbonate ions formed at the cathode are transported to the anode presenting a major obstacle for high CO2 conversion efficiency. The then required effort to separate CO2 from the electrolyte further reduces the overall energy efficiency. Employing a BPM and introducing the CEL prevents (bi)carbonate ions reaching the anode. BPM CO2ELY retains at the same time the advantages of AEM CO2ELY of performing CO2 reduction under alkaline conditions with the anion exchange layer (AEL) of the BPM facing the cathode.However, BPM CO2ELY suffers from low current density and poor stability in the range of only a few hours. Current limiting factors and degradation processes as well as the affected components are rarely investigated and poorly understood. Processes that have been brought forward are cathode flooding similar to fuel cells or catalyst poisoning. We employ synchrotron XTM to investigate structural dynamics in CO2ELY during operation. The brilliant synchrotron source allows us to acquire one full high-quality scan with a voxel size of 2.75 um in 1 s. We acquired one scan every minute for one hour during electrochemical operation.The image data reveals the formation of gas bubbles at the AEL-CEL junction and ultimately delamination of the BPM. We explain the gas formation as the recombination of (bi)carbonate ions with hydrogen ions at the junction producing gaseous CO2. This CO2 additionally reaches the anode by diffusion causing partial delamination of the anode catalyst layer. CO2 escaping from the AEL surface at the anode forms high-pressure gas bubbles that break the water wet catalyst layer. A diffusive model considering the transport of ions and neutral CO2 is able to capture the mechanism.Our imaging experiments provide insights not attainable by other diagnostic methods and highlight the need for fundamental research on forward-bias BPM CO2ELY. Knowledge based on AEM CO2ELY and fuel cells is not necessarily directly applicable and specific studies on BPM CO2ELY are required to increase performance and stability.We gratefully acknowledge provision of beamtime at TOMCAT, SLS, Paul Scherrer Insititut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland.Figure 1: Tomographic slice of CO2-electrolyser (cathode to the left) a) before operation and running water through anode b) after 23 minutes operation at 3.5V constant potential showing liquid water dynamics at cathode, membrane swelling, gas formation within the membrane and anode catalyst layer disintegration. Figure 1

Anodic Oxide Layers on Aluminum-Lithium Alloy

Al-Cu-Li alloys regained attention with Cu as the major addition and Li around 2 %wt. However, oxide blistering of is frequently found by the sulfuric acid anodizing of these alloys, which has been sometimes attributed to Li-rich precipitate dissolution or to thermomechanical stresses in the anodic oxide layer. In this work, anodic layer properties (composition, morphology, pitting resistance) were studied in dependence of anodizing process parameters. Blisters form by higher anodizing charges, independent of the applied current density and its density increases at lower temperatures, at which the anodizing efficiency is higher. Blistering cannot be associated to second phase precipitates, as their diameters (100-200 µm) are much larger than the precipitates size. The 45º-cracks at the mid section of the porous film are typical of compressive stresses perpendicular to the growth direction, indicating that blistering is possibly caused by a higher molar volume compared to other Al-Cu alloys.

Influence of pre-treatments on adhesion, barrier and mechanical properties of epoxy coatings: A comparison between steel, AA7075 and AA2024

In this work five independent pre-treatments – mechanical polishing, alkaline and acid etching, sol-gel primer, and anodizing – were applied on mild steel and aluminum (AA7075 and AA2024) substrates before the deposition of epoxy coatings. The results demonstrate that efficient adhesion can be achieved by simple methodologies and widely available chemicals as an alternative to toxic conversion layers or highly energetic processes. All the treatments provided higher adhesion (up to 75%, 61% and 14% on AA7075, AA2024 and steel, respectively) and better anti-corrosion performance (increase of impedance values at low frequency up to four orders of magnitude) than the polished reference. The anodizing of aluminum alloys yielded good anti-corrosion performance, but slightly lower mechanical properties compared to sol-gel primer and alkaline etching. The hydroxyls density was found to play a major role in strong adhesion prevailing over surface roughness, contact area, oxide thickness and hydrophobicity. Despite the efficient performance of hydrogen bonds from acid and alkaline etching on aluminum, these connections do not yield sufficiently stable bonds that make an impermeable barrier of epoxy coatings on steel. Covalent bonds (Me-O-Si) represent the key to achieve a significant improvement in mechanical and chemical resistance against the ingress of water and polymer chain relaxation. This makes the sol-gel primer a simple, economical, and environmentally alternative towards efficient bonding at a molecular level.

Influence of surface pretreatment on the bonding mechanism and mechanical properties of AA5052/CFRP friction stir spot welded joint

Hybrid structure of aluminum alloy and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been widely applied in the automotive industry for energy saving, emission reduction and structural light weighting. The large differences in physicochemical properties and metallurgical incompatibility between metals and CFRP easily generate interface separation defect at the joint interface. In this study, sulfuric acid anodizing (SAA), sandblasting (SB), and sandblasting + sulfuric acid anodizing (SB + SAA) pretreatments were used to modify the surface of 5052 aluminum alloy (AA5052). Friction stir spot welding was employed to join the modified AA5052 to carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone composites (CF-PEEK). The tensile shear load for SAA, SB, and SB + SAA pretreatment joints were 2076 N, 3112 N, and 2798 N, respectively. SB pretreatment eliminated the interface separation defect and obtained hybrid joints with excellent mechanical properties. The results of microstructural analysis revealed that SB pretreatment removed the oxide layer on the surface of aluminum alloy and increased the surface roughness, which promoted the mechanical interlocking and adhesive bonding effect between AA5052 and CF-PEEK. The distribution of alloying elements showed that a diffusion layer of Al and C formed at the joint interface. This demonstrated the good bonding of aluminum alloys with CF-PEEK. Except specimens after SB pretreatment, the other specimens fractured along the interface separation defect. SB pretreatment eliminated the interface separation defect and changed the fracture path, leading to the excellent mechanical properties of the joint.

Effect of anodizing on aluminum alloy 2024 with boric sulfate acid in medium 3.5 % NaCl

The utilization of metal materials finds widespread applications in various industries, including the aircraft industry, where aluminum alloys are commonly employed. However, metal materials are prone to corrosion under specific conditions, necessitating the implementation of corrosion prevention methods to decelerate the material's corrosion rate. Corrosion is a process in which the quality of metal deteriorates due to environmental influences. An effective approach to inhibit corrosion is through anodizing, which involves applying a protective coating to the metal surface, preventing direct contact with the surrounding environment. In this research, the focus was on studying the corrosion rate of aluminum alloy 2024 using Boric Sulfate Acid Anodizing (BSAA) at 10 volts and immersion times of 10, 15, and 20 minutes, followed by sealing with acetic acid in a corrosive environment containing 3.5 % NaCl. The main goals were to evaluate the effectiveness of anodizing with and without sealing in lowering the rate of aluminum corrosion, to compare the effectiveness of anodizing with and without sealing, and to create adsorption models using Langmuir adsorption. Through the examination of the potentiodynamic approach, it was shown that anodizing had an inhibitory impact that was strengthened by sealing. The maximum efficiency of 76 % was attained after 20 minutes of anodizing and sealing at 10 volts. A correlation value of 0.7487 from the Langmuir adsorption modeling was also obtained, pointing to an advantageous adsorption behavior. This research demonstrates how effectively anodizing for aluminum alloy 2024 works with and without sealing, especially in a 3.5 % NaCl-corrosive environment