Electrochemical Tests Research Articles

Semiconducting minerals participated extracellular electron transfer in red soil of Ningxia Plain, China

In recent years, exploring interactions between sunlight, semiconducting minerals and microorganisms in nature has attracted great attention. However, relatively little research has been conducted on the interaction between minerals and microorganisms in the plain areas of the Yellow River Basin under sunlight. In this study, the mineral composition and microbial community of red soil from the Ningxia Plain, China were analyzed. X–ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that red soil contained semiconducting minerals such as birnessite, hematite and goethite. 16S rRNA analysis found that electroactive microorganisms such as Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteriota were enriched in in–situ microbial community of red soil. Afterwards, electrochemical tests such as linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and I–t curves, indicated that red soil exhibited good semiconducting properties under light irradiation. Finally, a dual chamber system and electrochemical techniques were used to explore the electron transfer relationship between red soil and microorganisms. The open circuit voltage (350 mV) and maximum power density (1242.72 mW/m2) of red soil cathode system were significantly improved compared to blank graphite electrode, indicating that red soil could serve as electron acceptors for microbial extracellular respiration. Red soil electrode in live bacteria exhibited the highest photocurrent density (0.29 μA/cm2) and the lowest charge transfer resistance (Rct) (223 Ω) under light conditions, indicating that red soil accelerated the rapid transfer of electrons, reduced polarization loss, and enhanced extracellular electron transfer (EET) process under light conditions. This study demonstrated that the participation of semiconducting minerals in microbial EET processes under sunlight in the Ningxia Plain, China.

Study on corrosion behavior and first-principle analysis of M50 steel in lubricating oil contaminated by salt water

The corrosive wear of M50 steel in lubricating oil contaminated with saline is a form of wear that often occurs within the main shaft bearings of aviation engines carried by aircraft working at sea. In the present paper, the corrosion behavior of M50 steel in lubricating oil contaminated with saline was studied. The open-circuit potential, polarization curve and impedance spectrum were analyzed by rotating electrochemical corrosion wear test. A three-layer interface microscopic molecular model was established with Materials Studio to simulate the dynamic corrosion evolution process of M50 steel self-matching pairs and the adsorption energy was calculated. The results show that the corrosion type is pitting corrosion. With the increase of saline concentration, the corrosion area becomes wider and shallower, and the size of the pitting core gradually decreases. The weight loss of M50 steel increases over time, but the trend slows down, which is also shown in the MS simulation results. Electrochemical tests show that the tribocorrosion of M50 steel is related to load, speed. As the load increases, the corrosion rate decreases. And, as the speed increases, the corrosion rate increases. This has practical significance for extending the understanding of tribocorrosion of M50 steel in marine atmospheric environments.

Microstructure, MAO performance, interfacial characteristics and corrosion behavior of FSW joint of Al–Mg-Sc alloy

The microstructure evolution, micro-arc oxidation (MAO) performance, and corrosion behavior of Al–Mg-Sc alloy friction stir welded (FSW) joint were investigated. The microstructure observations indicated that compared with the base metal (BM), the stirring zone (SZ) and thermo-mechanical affected zone (TMAZ) showed notable grain defects and an enormous number of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs). Additionally, a more conspicuous presence of non-uniform recrystallized grains and HAGBs was noticed in the thickness direction within the SZ. FSW process induced the precipitation of Al3Mg2 (β phase) at grain boundaries in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of joint. The microstructural changes and precipitation induced by the FSW process influenced the electrical conductivity, resulting in the differences in micro-arc discharge in various zones of the FSW joint in MAO process, which in turn affected the thickness, porosity, and corrosion resistance of MAO ceramic film. HRTEM observation suggested that a transition layer composed of nanocrystalline and amorphous Al2O3 with average thickness of 2–4 nm was found at the film/substrate interface. Electrochemical tests suggested that a heterogeneous structure in various regions of FSW joint resulted in varying susceptibility to localized corrosion. HAZ/TMAZ had the worst anti-corrosion performance. After MAO treatment, the anti-corrosion performance of SZ and HAZ/TMAZ in FSW joint was significantly improved, especially SZ.

Development and Performance of a PANI@NiMnO3 Nanocomposite for Enhanced Supercapacitors and Photocatalytic Applications.

Conductive polymers are gaining considerable attention as a potential material for supercapacitor electrodes due to their favorable properties. Among these, polyaniline (PANI) stands out as a cost-effective and easy to synthesize, making it a promising candidate for improving energy storage applications. This study presents the synthesis of a hybrid composite consisting of PANI and NiMnO3 (NMO) perovskite using the chemical oxidative polymerization method. The morphology and structure of the composite were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. XRD results showed that the addition of NMO transformed the amorphous structure of PANI into a semicrystalline form, leading to enhanced conductivity. SEM images revealed a more uniform and compact structure, with NMO distributed unevenly within the polymer matrix. Optical analysis indicated that a reduction in the band gap of PANI@NMO reached 2.5 eV. N2 adsorption-desorption measurements confirmed an increase in the surface area and pore volume. The photocatalytic activity of the PANI@NMO nanocomposite was tested by degrading methylene blue (MB) dye under UV/visible light. The nanocomposite showed high efficiency, degrading 87.75% of MB dye after 125 min of irradiation as compared to their counter parts. Additionally, electrochemical tests demonstrated an improved electrochemical performance of the composite due to enhanced crystallinity, increased surface area, and reduced electron-hole recombination rate. These results suggest that the PANI@NMO nanocomposite has great potential for use in supercapacitors and photocatalysis.

Anti-Corrosion and Wave-Absorbing Properties of Epoxy-Based Coatings on Q235 Steel

Carbon nanotube/epoxy resin (CNE) coatings and carbon nanotube/carboxy iron powder/epoxy resin (CIE) coatings were applied on the surface of Q235 steel, and their corrosion, absorption properties and other characteristics were measured in this work. The results indicate that the average thickness of a single application was approximately 400 μm, and the surface of the CNE coating was still smooth and intact after a 3000 h copper ion accelerated salt spray test without bubbles, falling off or other corrosion phenomena. The same was true for 28 days of full immersion in solutions of 10% hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) of the coating. The electrochemical testing exhibited the corrosion current of the CNE coating as being markedly lower than that of Q235 steel, with a protection efficiency of 81.68% for the Q235 steel. The CNE-0.6 coating had the maximum corrosion voltage (−0.390 V), and the CNE-0.3 coating had the minimum corrosion current of 2.07 × 10−6 A·cm2. The adhesion between the coating and Q235 could reach level 0, and the tensile strength of the coating was up to 18.75 MPa. The coating was observed to remain intact and free from detachment upon undergoing a drop test from a height of 50 cm. In addition, the CIE-0.6 coating exhibited an effective absorption band of 9.1 GHz, covering the range from 8.2 to 13.7 GHz, and it achieved a maximum reflection loss of −15.1 dB at a frequency of 8.6 GHz.

Accelerated corrosion by nitrate-reducing bacteria and gaseous hydrogen permeation of X80 steel

Effects of hydrogen gas and Nitrate-Reducing Bacteria (NRB) on the corrosion and hydrogen permeation dynamics of X80 steel in simulated pipeline condensate water was investigated. Weight-loss analysis and electrochemical tests show a direct correlation between NRB-induced corrosion of X80 steel and the presence of hydrogen gas, particularly evident with escalating hydrogen blending ratios. Notably, corrosion primarily manifested through the formation of localized pitting, exhibiting a positive correlation with hydrogen blending ratios. Furthermore, the hydrogen permeating results show there is a synergistic enhancement of hydrogen permeating facilitated by the coexistence of hydrogen gas and NRB. Quantitative assessments of hydrogen permeability parameters highlighted significant amplifications in hydrogen diffusion flux (J) and apparent hydrogen concentration (Capp) under the combined influence of hydrogen and NRB, underscoring the complex interplay between these factors.

Enhanced hydrophobicity of polyurethane coating for steel protection through replication and nanomaterial integration

Polyurethanes (PU) are widely used in corrosion protection, anti-biofouling coatings, and self-cleaning glass, yet their low hydrophobicity poses durability challenges. This study addresses this by enhancing PU coatings’ hydrophobicity by refining surface roughness and forming tailored porous structures. Using drop, spin, dip, and spray coating techniques, hydrophobic PU coatings were fabricated on 304 steel plates. To further enhance hydrophobicity, 0.5 w/v% graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) were introduced into the coatings. Additionally, stainless-steel 500 mesh was incorporated to create patterned surfaces, increasing surface roughness and tailoring the porous structure. The analysis included optical and scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle (WCA) measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electrochemical corrosion tests, and atomic force microscopy. Incorporating GNP notably increased WCA by 20–23° and reduced corrosion rates in a 3.5% NaCl solution. Likewise, applying stainless-steel mesh improved surface roughness, raising WCA by 3-8° and decreasing corrosion rates. The study observed changes in porous structure, with pore size reduction correlating with increased roughness and decreased corrosion rates upon mesh application and GNP addition. This comprehensive examination highlights the potential of PU coatings for various applications and underlines the importance of tailored porous structures in enhancing their performance and versatility. Spin coating emerged as the optimal technique, yielding uniform, defect-free coatings with the highest WCA.

Fluorine-Doped Carbon Support Enables Superfast Oxygen Reduction Kinetics by Breaking the Scaling Relationship.

It is well-established that Pt-based catalysts suffer from the unfavorable linear scaling relationship (LSR) between *OOH and *OH (ΔG(*OOH)=ΔG(*OH)+3.2±0.2 eV) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), resulting in a great challenge to significantly reduced ORR overpotentials. Herein, we propose a universal and feasible strategy of fluorine-doped carbon supports, which optimize interfacial microenvironment of Pt-based catalysts and thus significantly enhance their reactive kinetics. The introduction of C-F bonds not only weakens the *OH binding energy, but also stabilizes the *OOH intermediate, resulting in a break of LSR. Furthermore, fluorine-doped carbon constructs a local super-hydrophobic interface that facilitates the diffusion of H2O and the mass transfer of O2. Electrochemical tests show that the F-doped carbon-supported Pt catalysts exhibit over 2-fold higher mass activities than those without F modification. More importantly, those catalysts also demonstrate excellent stability in both rotating disk electrode (RDE) and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) tests. This study not only validates the feasibility of tuning the electrocatalytic microenvironment to improve mass transport and to break the scaling relationship, but also provides a universal catalyst design paradigm for other gas-involving electrocatalytic reactions.

In Situ Electrochemical Conversion of Biomass-Derived 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural into 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid by Time-Controlled Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited FeNi Catalyst.

The conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into valuable chemicals, such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), is pivotal for sustainable chemical production, offering a renewable pathway to biodegradable plastics and high-value organic compounds. This pioneering study explores the synthesis of FeNi nanostructures via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) for the electrochemical oxidation of HMF to FDCA. By adjusting the deposition time, we developed two distinct nanostructures: FeNi-40, which features nanowires with spherical terminations, and FeNi-80, which features aggregated spherical structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that both nanostructures possess a phase-pure face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure. Electrochemical tests conducted using FeNi nanocatalysts on Ni foam revealed that FeNi-40 requires a significantly lower onset potential for HMF oxidation (1.32 V vs RHE) compared to FeNi-80 (1.40 V vs RHE). This difference is attributed to the unique nanowire morphology of FeNi-40, which provides a higher density of active sites and a larger electrochemically active surface area, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the electrochemical process. When tested in an H-type electrolyzer with a Nafion membrane, FeNi-40 demonstrated a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 96.42% and a high product yield, underscoring the potential of morphology-controlled FeNi nanostructures to enhance the efficiency of sustainable electrochemical processes significantly.

Fluorine‐Doped Carbon Support Enables Superfast Oxygen Reduction Kinetics by Breaking the Scaling Relationship

AbstractIt is well‐established that Pt‐based catalysts suffer from the unfavorable linear scaling relationship (LSR) between *OOH and *OH (ΔG(*OOH)=ΔG(*OH)+3.2±0.2 eV) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), resulting in a great challenge to significantly reduced ORR overpotentials. Herein, we propose a universal and feasible strategy of fluorine‐doped carbon supports, which optimize interfacial microenvironment of Pt‐based catalysts and thus significantly enhance their reactive kinetics. The introduction of C−F bonds not only weakens the *OH binding energy, but also stabilizes the *OOH intermediate, resulting in a break of LSR. Furthermore, fluorine‐doped carbon constructs a local super‐hydrophobic interface that facilitates the diffusion of H2O and the mass transfer of O2. Electrochemical tests show that the F‐doped carbon‐supported Pt catalysts exhibit over 2‐fold higher mass activities than those without F modification. More importantly, those catalysts also demonstrate excellent stability in both rotating disk electrode (RDE) and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) tests. This study not only validates the feasibility of tuning the electrocatalytic microenvironment to improve mass transport and to break the scaling relationship, but also provides a universal catalyst design paradigm for other gas‐involving electrocatalytic reactions.

Preparation and Performance Study of Zinc Dibenzyl Dithiocarbamate Self‐Assembled Film on Electrodeposited Cu–Ni Alloy Surface

ABSTRACTThis study developed a green and efficient surface protection method for Cu–Ni alloys. A zinc dibenzyl dithiocarbamate film was prepared on the surface of electrodeposited Cu–Ni alloys using the self‐assembly method to improve the material's corrosion resistance in seawater. The influence of zinc dibenzyl dithiocarbamate concentration and self‐assembly time on the corrosion resistance of the self‐assembled films was investigated through electrochemical testing. The findings revealed that at a zinc dibenzyl dithiocarbamate concentration of 10 mmol/L and a self‐assembly time of 20 min, the self‐assembled film exhibited the most robust corrosion resistance, achieving a maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency of 97.70%. The self‐assembly and adsorption mechanism of zinc dibenzyl dithiocarbamate were explored using molecular dynamics simulations and adsorption isotherms. The protective effect of self‐assembled films was visually observed through salt spray testing. Zinc dibenzyl dithiocarbamate self‐assembled film technology has high application prospects in the field of marine anti‐corrosion.

Efficient Isolation of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Seaweed Waste via a Radiation Process and Their Conversion to Porous Nanocarbon for Energy Storage System.

This article presents an efficient method for isolating cellulose nanocrystals (CNcs) from seaweed waste using a combination of electron beam (E-beam) irradiation and acid hydrolysis. This approach not only reduces the chemical consumption and processing time, but also improves the crystallinity and yield of the CNcs. The isolated CNcs were then thermally annealed at 800 and 1000 °C to produce porous nanocarbon materials, which were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to assess their structural and chemical properties. Electrochemical testing of electrical double-layer capacitors demonstrated that nanocarbon materials derived from seaweed waste-derived CNcs annealed at 1000 exhibited superior capacitance and stability. This performance is attributed to the formation of a highly ordered graphitic structure with a mesoporous architecture, which facilitates efficient ion transport and enhanced electrolyte accessibility. These findings underscore the potential of seaweed waste-derived nanocarbon as a sustainable and high-performance material for energy storage applications, offering a promising alternative to conventional carbon sources.

Areal capacity balance to maximize the lifetime of layered oxide/hard carbon sodium-ion batteries

Optimizing the areal capacity balance between the negative and positive electrodes is crucial for enhancing the performance of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). This study investigates NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O₂ || hard carbon full cells with varying N/P ratios, employing three-electrode measurements to evaluate cycling performance and identify failure mechanisms in situ. A novel full cell design principle is proposed to determine the threshold N/P ratio for sodium plating. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that an N/P ratio slightly above the threshold value, particularly around 0.9, provides the best cycling performance within 1.5–4.1 V. The cycling degradation mechanism with different N/P ratios was also elucidated. It is due to either the PE or NE exceeding its critical window, leading to active material loss on the positive side and loss of sodium inventory on the negative side. The research further emphasizes that reasonably adjusting the working voltage window can significantly extend the battery's lifetime by suppressing degradation processes. The optimized cell, with an N/P ratio of 0.9 and operating within a 1.0–4.0 V window, demonstrates an 81 % capacity retention over 500 cycles. These findings provide a practical framework for designing high-performance SIBs that balance energy density and longevity.

Graphenic materials prepared from magnesium ions doping cellulose and its application in electrochemical detection of adenine and guanine

Graphenic materials of high quality are in high-demand. In this study, a method is proposed for the synthesis of graphenic materials by the pyrolysis of cellulose materials. Cellulose materials were oxidized and doped with magnesium prior to pyrolysis, which improved the graphitization efficiency significantly. The obtained graphenic materials, exhibiting a well-developed porous structure, high specific surface area, were employed for the fabrication of a composite electrode. The composite electrode was employed for the simultaneously detection of adenine (AE) and guanine (GA) with excellent performance in the electrocatalytic oxidation response. Various electrochemical tests were carried out to optimized the detection of AE and GA. Under the optimized conditions, the simultaneous quantification of GA and AE is achieved from 1 – 100 μM with detection limits from 0.4 – 0.6 μM. This study offers a promising alternative for the synthesis of graphenic materials of high quality.

Corrosion resistance analysis of Al2O3-TiO2 composite ceramic coatings on carbon steel pipe surfaces

This study investigates the corrosion resistance of Al2O3-TiO2 composite coatings reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on carbon steel pipe surfaces. Coatings were deposited using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) techniques. Microstructural analysis revealed that HVOF-sprayed coatings exhibited denser and more homogeneous structures compared to APS-sprayed coatings. Electrochemical tests in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution showed that the HVOF-sprayed Al2O3-13 wt% TiO2-1.5 wt% MWCNT coating demonstrated the lowest corrosion current density of 7.6 × 10−9 A/cm2 and the most positive corrosion potential. Hot corrosion tests in a simulated boiler environment (500°C, 1000 h) revealed that this coating also exhibited minimal weight gain (0.9 mg/cm2) and thickness loss (2 μm). The corrosion rate of the optimal coating was 0.05 mm/year, significantly lower than the bare carbon steel (2.45 mm/year). XRD analysis of corroded samples showed that HVOF-sprayed coatings maintained their original phase composition without detectable substrate corrosion products. The superior corrosion resistance of the HVOF-sprayed Al2O3-13 wt% TiO2-1.5 wt% MWCNT coating is attributed to its optimized composition, dense microstructure, and the reinforcing effect of MWCNTs. These findings provide valuable insights for developing advanced coating solutions to mitigate corrosion-related challenges in the oil and gas industry and other harsh industrial environments.

Effect of Tempering Temperature on the Aqueous Corrosion Resistance of 9Cr Series Heat-Resistant Steel

In this investigation, the aqueous corrosion resistance of 9Cr series heat-resistant steel during tempering was investigated. Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) were used to analyze the effect of tempering temperature on the microstructure and precipitation behavior of precipitates. The heat-resisting steel was heated to 1150 °C for 1 h, and then tempered at different temperatures between 680 °C and 760 °C for 2 h. The microstructure of the heat-resistant steel after tempering was composed of lath-tempered martensite and fine precipitates. The hardness decreased with increasing tempering temperature, ranging from HBW 261 to HBW 193. The aqueous corrosion resistance improved as the tempering temperatures increased from 680 °C to 720 °C but deteriorated at higher temperatures, such as 760 °C, which was obtained by an electrochemical corrosion performance test. The aqueous corrosion resistance was affected by the decrease in dislocation density and the decrease in Cr solution in the tempered martensite. With the increase in the tempering temperature, the aqueous corrosion potential first increases and then decreases, the self-corrosion current density first decreases and then increases, and the polarization resistance first increases and then decreases. Furthermore, the increase in corrosion resistance is attributed to the reduction in dislocation density and chromium depletion in the martensitic structure as the tempering temperature approaches 720 °C. This paper reveals the effect of tempering temperature on the corrosion resistance of 9Cr series heat-resistant steel, which is a further exploration of a known phenomenon.

Phase-separated solvothermal high yields recovery of lithium and cobalt cathode precursors from end-of-life LiCoO2 lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) recycling is one of the most urgent challenges affecting this technological sector. Indeed, their continuously growing production and demand is already leading to the creation of large volumes of end-of-life LIBs (EoL-LIBs). At the same time, the growing demand for LIBs is not sustainable from the point of view of supply of the critical raw materials needed to produce the essential components of LIBs. The development of efficient and sustainable recycling strategies provides a solution to these two urgent issues. Here we propose a new ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) composition based on choline chloride, citric acid, and ethylene glycol in molar ratio 1:1:1 for the reductive degradation of LiCoO2 cathode. The optimized leaching process (5g of DES for 100 mg of black mass for 30 min at 140 °C) leads to the full degradation of the cathode with extraction yields above 97% for both Li and Co. Simple electrochemical tests confirm irreversible DES degradation, making its recovery and reuse impractical. We demonstrate that a subsequent thermal treatment, using DES as a sacrificial agent, allows to separate and recover Co3O4 and LiCl with adequate purity to be exploited for LiCoO2 resynthesis. As a proof of concept, a new batch of LiCoO2 is synthesized and used for new cells’ assembly. The performance of the resynthesized material is comparable with that of the commercial benchmark material, demonstrating the possibility of a full closed-loop recycling route.

Integration of 2D borophene into semiconducting N, P, S, and F-doped 1D carbon for energy storage and conversion devices

Innovative energy storage and high-performing conversion devices are urgently required to meet global energy issues. In this study, we synthesized and characterized a nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and fluorine-doped one-dimensional carbon (NPSF@C) integrated with two-dimensional borophene (Bph) nanosheets, forming a nanocomposite (NPSF@C/Bph). The physicochemical and structural characterization confirmed borophene’s successful doping and integration into the NPSF@C matrix. Density Functional Theory (DFT) analysis indicated that the doping of heteroatoms and the integration of Bph increased the number of conduction bands in NPSF@C/Bph, effectively reducing the band gap of the material from 1.99 eV (MWCNT) and 1.43 eV (Bph) to 0.067 eV. This transformation was attributed to the introduction of localized states near the Fermi level and an enhanced density of states, resulting in a metal-like behavior for the NPSF@C/Bph composite. The NPSF@C/Bph composite demonstrated a specific surface area of 1962.78 m2/g and a pore volume of 1.2423 cm3/g, significantly enhancing its electrochemical performance. The composite showed a high specific capacitance of 837F/g at a current density of 1 A/g and retained 92.72 % of its initial capacitance after 10,000 cycles. It also exhibited a high energy density of 78.28 Wh/kg and a power density of 4545 W/kg in a symmetric supercapacitor device. Additionally, electrochemical tests revealed that the NPSF@C/Bph composite exhibited a lower overpotential and higher current density for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) compared to its counterparts. Specifically, the overpotential for OER is 283 eV, and HER is 73 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm2. The Tafel slopes were 63 mV/dec for OER and 67 mV/dec for HER, indicating superior reaction kinetics.

Synergistic effect of B and Y on the corrosion of S31254 super austenitic stainless steel under stress

The corrosion behavior of S31254 microalloying with B and Y was investigated after experiencing the tensile and compressive deformation. After three-point bending deformation test, the local misorientation and plastic deformation caused by tensile deformation were larger than compressive deformation. The synergistic effect of B and Y reduced local residual stress of samples after both tensile deformation and compressive deformation. Electrochemical test showed that the synergistic effect of B and Y enhanced corrosion resistance more effectively than microalloying with B alone. In the immersion corrosion test, the tensile region showed higher stress corrosion sensitivity due to the higher plastic deformation than that in compressive region. The 50B+50Y sample exhibited better corrosion resistance than 50B sample and 0B sample in the tensile region with low plastic deformation. With the decrease of tensile deformation, the synergistic effect of B and Y on reducing the corrosion sensitivity was more obviously than B alone.

Enhanced photocathodic protection performance of TiO2/SnO2/CdIn2S4 composites for 304 stainless steel in marine environments

In humid and saline environments, metal corrosion leads to significant economic losses, necessitating enhanced anti-corrosion methods. This study aims to enhance the photocathodic protection (PCP) performance of TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) by incorporating SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) and CdIn2S4 nanoflowers (NFs). TiO2 NTs were fabricated on titanium substrates via anodization, followed by successive deposition of SnO2 QDs and CdIn2S4 NFs using immersion and hydrothermal methods. The composite materials were characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, and XPS. The PCP performance was evaluated through electrochemical tests on 304 stainless steel (304ss). The TiO2/SnO2/CdIn2S4 (T/S/C) composite exhibited a photocurrent density seven times that of pure TiO2 NTs, indicating significantly enhanced separation ability. The composite also demonstrated a notable open-circuit potential (OCP) of −1045 mV vs. SCE. Furthermore, T/S/C could provide delayed protection for up to 10 h in the dark, indicating its electron storage capability. The T/S/C composite material enhances the corrosion resistance of 304ss, offering a promising approach for practical anti-corrosion applications.