How solute atoms control aqueous corrosion of Al-alloys.

Aluminum alloys play an important role in circular metallurgy due to their good recyclability and 95% energy gain when made from scrap. Their low density and high strength translate linearly to lower greenhouse gas emissions in transportation, and their excellent corrosion resistance enhances product longevity. The durability of Al alloys stems from the dense barrier oxide film strongly bonded to the surface, preventing further degradation. However, despite decades of research, the individual elemental reactions and their influence on the nanoscale characteristics of the oxide film during corrosion in multicomponent Al alloys remain unresolved questions. Here, we build up a direct correlation between the near-atomistic picture of the corrosion oxide film and the solute reactivity in the aqueous corrosion of a high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. We reveal the formation of nanocrystalline Al oxide and highlight the solute partitioning between the oxide and the matrix and segregation to the internal interface. The sharp decrease in partitioning content of Mg in the peak-aged alloy emphasizes the impact of heat treatment on the oxide stability and corrosion kinetics. Through H isotopic labelling with deuterium, we provide direct evidence that the oxide acts as a trap for this element, pointing at the essential role of the Al oxide might act as a kinetic barrier in preventing H embrittlement. Our findings advance the mechanistic understanding of further improving the stability of Al oxide, guiding the design of corrosion-resistant alloys for potential applications.

Different Photostability of BiVO4 in Near-pH-Neutral Electrolytes.

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising route to produce hydrogen from solar energy. However, corrosion of photoelectrodes remains a fundamental challenge for their implementation. Here, we reveal different dissolution behaviors of BiVO4 photoanode in pH-buffered borate, phosphate, and citrate (hole-scavenger) electrolytes, studied in operando employing an illuminated scanning flow cell. We demonstrate that decrease in photocurrents alone does not reflect the degradation of photoelectrodes. Changes in dissolution rates correlate to the evolution of surface chemistry and morphology. The correlative measurements on both sides of the liquid-semiconductor junction provide quantitative comparison and mechanistic insights into the degradation processes.

On the facile and accurate determination of the Pt content in standard carbon supported Pt fuel cell catalysts.

We introduce a new and straight-forward methodology to accurately determine the Pt content in polymer membrane electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) catalysts consisting of carbon supported Pt nanoparticles (Pt/C). The method is based on an indirect Pt proof (IPP) consisting of the oxidative removal of the carbon support, the digestion of the Pt in aqua regia followed by a replacement reaction to form Cu ions (CuCl2). The Pt content is then determined via the Cu-ions with the help a complexometric indicator using a simple titration. The procedure is fast and does not require any expensive equipment. Thus, it can be implemented in any standard chemistry laboratory. The advantages and disadvantages of the IPP method are evaluated in a comparison to alternative methods for the determination of the Pt content in supported catalysts, i.e. inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and UV/Vis spectroscopy (UV/Vis). It is demonstrated that the IPP method delivers reliable and accurate results and is less influenced than for example ICP-MS by side effects such as excess in nitric acid or organic impurities. Furthermore, during the procedure up to 60% of the Pt material is recovered during the IPP procedure.

Shape-Controlled Nanoparticles in Pore-Confined Space.

Increasing the catalyst's stability and activity are one of the main quests in catalysis. Tailoring crystal surfaces to a specific reaction has demonstrated to be a very effective way in increasing the catalyst's specific activity. Shape controlled nanoparticles with specific crystal facets are usually grown kinetically and are highly susceptible to morphological changes during the reaction due to agglomeration, metal dissolution, or Ostwald ripening. A strong interaction of the catalytic material to the support is thus crucial for successful stabilization. Taken both points into account, a general catalyst design is proposed, combining the enhanced activity of shape-controlled nanoparticles with a pore-confinement approach for high stability. Hollow graphitic spheres with narrow and uniform bimodal mesopores serve as model system and were used as support material. As catalyst, different kinds of particles, such as pure platinum (Pt), platinum/nickel (Pt3Ni) and Pt3Ni doped with molybdenum (Pt3Ni-Mo), have exemplarily been synthesized. The advantages, limits and challenges of the proposed concept are discussed and elaborated by means of time-resolved, in and ex situ measurements. It will be shown that during catalysis, the potential boundaries are crucial especially for the proposed catalyst design, resulting in either retention of the initial activity or drastic loss in shape, size and elemental composition. The synthesis and catalyst design can be adapted to a wide range of catalytic reactions where stabilization of shape-controlled particles is a focus.

Catalyst Stability Benchmarking for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: The Importance of Backing Electrode Material and Dissolution in Accelerated Aging Studies.

In searching for alternative oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for acidic water splitting, fast screening of the material intrinsic activity and stability in half-cell tests is of vital importance. The screening process significantly accelerates the discovery of new promising materials without the need of time-consuming real-cell analysis. In commonly employed tests, a conclusion on the catalyst stability is drawn solely on the basis of electrochemical data, for example, by evaluating potential-versus-time profiles. Herein important limitations of such approaches, which are related to the degradation of the backing electrode material, are demonstrated. State-of-the-art Ir-black powder is investigated for OER activity and for dissolution as a function of the backing electrode material. Even at very short time intervals materials like glassy carbon passivate, increasing the contact resistance and concealing the degradation phenomena of the electrocatalyst itself. Alternative backing electrodes like gold and boron-doped diamond show better stability and are thus recommended for short accelerated aging investigations. Moreover, parallel quantification of dissolution products in the electrolyte is shown to be of great importance for comparing OER catalyst feasibility.

Stability limits of tin-based electrocatalyst supports.

Tin-based oxides are attractive catalyst support materials considered for application in fuel cells and electrolysers. If properly doped, these oxides are relatively good conductors, assuring that ohmic drop in real applications is minimal. Corrosion of dopants, however, will lead to severe performance deterioration. The present work aims to investigate the potential dependent dissolution rates of indium tin oxide (ITO), fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) and antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) in the broad potential window ranging from -0.6 to 3.2 VRHE in 0.1 M H2SO4 electrolyte. It is shown that in the cathodic part of the studied potential window all oxides dissolve during the electrochemical reduction of the oxide - cathodic dissolution. In case an oxidation potential is applied to the reduced electrode, metal oxidation is accompanied with additional dissolution - anodic dissolution. Additional dissolution is observed during the oxygen evolution reaction. FTO withstands anodic conditions best, while little and strong dissolution is observed for ATO and ITO, respectively. In discussion of possible corrosion mechanisms, obtained dissolution onset potentials are correlated with existing thermodynamic data.

An electrochemical calibration unit for hydrogen analysers.

Determination of hydrogen in solids such as high strength steels or other metals in the ppb or ppm range requires hot-extraction or melt-extraction. Calibration of commercially available hydrogen analysers is performed either by certified reference materials CRMs, often having limited availability and reliability or by gas dosing for which the determined value significantly depends on atmospheric pressure and the construction of the gas dosing valve. The sharp and sudden appearance of very high gas concentrations from gas dosing is very different from real effusion transients and is therefore another source of errors. To overcome these limitations, an electrochemical calibration method for hydrogen analysers was developed and employed in this work. Exactly quantifiable, faradaic amounts of hydrogen can be produced in an electrochemical reaction and detected by the hydrogen analyser. The amount of hydrogen is exactly known from the transferred charge in the reaction following Faradays law; and the current time program determines the apparent hydrogen effusion transient. Random effusion transient shaping becomes possible to fully comply with real samples. Evolution time and current were varied for determining a quantitative relationship. The device was used to produce either diprotium (H2) or dideuterium (D2) from the corresponding electrolytes. The functional principle is electrochemical in nature and thus an automation is straightforward, can be easily implemented at an affordable price of 1-5% of the hydrogen analysers price.