Preliminary evaluation of the anticorrosive properties of aircraft coatings by electrochemical methods

Strict regulations concerning the content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals (Cr⁶⁺) in aircraft coating systems have increased the economic burden of the United States Air Force (USAF) in the area of coating maintenance. To this end, it is critical to have methods to characterize new coating systems in such a manner that the data can be used to predict accurately and reliably the expected lifetime of the coatings in service. Electrochemical noise method (ENM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are two techniques used to monitor extent and rate of corrosion. The USAF is currently employing these methods in order to supplement data acquired from traditional salt-spray methods. ENM and EIS are used to evaluate each component of the coating system and its contribution to corrosion prevention. Preliminary evaluations of an aircraft coating system on aluminum substrate (Al 2024-T3) produces resistance noise values of 10⁶ to 10⁷ Ω/cm². It is hoped that these results will form the basis of coatings that give increased USAF fleet service life and reduction in maintenance manpower and materials costs.     

A study of PtRuO2 catalysts thermally formed on titanium mesh for methanol oxidation

Platinum-based catalysts, for the electro-oxidation of methanol, have been made by thermal decomposition of chloride precursors onto titanium mesh. The catalysed electrodes were successfully operated in acidic methanol electrolytes. Electrochemical characterisation has been carried out using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic polarisations. A complete analysis of the electrochemical results showed that the preliminary performance of the catalysed titanium mesh was comparable to that achieved with carbon-supported PtRu catalysts. The catalysts formed on titanium mesh by thermal decomposition also exhibited dimensional stability. Catalysed titanium mesh therefore appears to be a promising alternative to carbon-supported catalysts for certain fuel cell applications.     

Polyaniline for corrosion prevention of mild steel coupled with copper

Polyaniline emeraldine base/epoxy resin (EB/ER) coating was investigated for corrosion protection of mild steel coupled with copper in 3.5% NaCl solution. EB/ER coating with 5-10 wt% EB had long-term corrosion resistance on both uncoupled steel and copper due to the passivation effect of EB on the metal surfaces. During the 150 immersion days, the impedance at 0.1 Hz for the coating increased in the first 1-40 days and subsequently remained constant above 10⁹ Ω cm², whereas that for pure ER coating fell below 10⁶ Ω cm² after only 30 or 40 days. Immersion tests on coated steel-copper galvanic couple showed that EB/ER coating offered 100 times more protection than ER coating against steel dissolution and coating delamination on copper, which was mainly attributed to the passive metal oxide films formed by EB blocking both the anodic and cathodic reactions. Salt spray tests showed that 100 μm EB/ER coating protected steel-copper couple for at least 2000 h.     

降低山区铁路电力10 kV贯通线路接地电阻的策略探析

众所周知,山区铁路电力通过的电压为10 kV。实践表明,会有较大的接地电阻发生在运输的过程中,而这些电阻会带来较大的安全威胁,需要引起人们足够的重视。其中非常重要的一个问题就是土壤电阻率较高。那么,在如今的形势下,迫切需要解决的问题就是降低山区铁路电力10 kV贯通线路接地电阻。     

Enhanced corrosion prevention effect of polysulfone–clay nanocomposite materials prepared by solution dispersion

A series of polymer–clay nanocomposite (PCN) materials containing polysulfone (PSF) and layered MMT clay were successfully prepared by effectively dispersing inorganic nanolayers of MMT clay in an organic PSF matrix via a solution dispersion technique. The synthesized PCN materials were subsequently investigated with a series of characterization techniques, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide‐angle powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The prepared PCN coatings with low clay loading (1 wt %) on cold‐rolled steel (CRS) were found to be superior in corrosion prevention to those of bulk PSF, based on a series of electrochemical measurements of corrosion potential, polarization resistance, corrosion current and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a 5 wt % aqueous NaCl electrolyte. The effects of material composition on the molecular barrier, mechanical strength and optical clarity of PSF and PCN materials, in the form of membranes, was also studied by molecular permeability analysis (GPA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and UV‐Visible transmission spectra, respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 631–637, 2004     

Polyaniline as corrosion inhibitor for iron in acid solutions

In recent years, polymer amines have been studied as an efficient corrosion inhibitor for iron in acid media. In this article, the performance of water soluble polyaniline as corrosion inhibitor for iron in 0.5M H₂SO₄ has been evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization, linear polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and compared with the performance of the aniline monomer. It has been found that polyaniline is an efficient inhibitor, since the maximum efficiency of 84% has been observed at a concentration of 100 ppm, whereas the monomer has accelerated the corrosion. FTIR studies have shown that the polyaniline is strongly adsorbed on the iron surface and inhibits the corrosion effectively. However, aniline has been found to improve the passivation tendency of iron at higher concentrations. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2144–2153, 2006     

Zinc-rich powder coatings characterisation in artificial sea water: EIS analysis of the galvanic action

Two zinc-rich powder coatings are applied onto phosphatised steel substrate and are studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Measurements are performed before (dry experiment) and during immersion in artificial sea water. Before immersion, EIS spectra show that percolation threshold is not attained for coating A, while coating B presents an effective percolation. In this latter case, and in order to account for the distribution of the zinc particles within the coating described as isolated, semi-isolated and percolant grains, a distributed transmission line model is proposed. When panels are immersed, the model is modified due to the electrolyte penetration through the coating, in particular with the introduction of an ionic resistance. However, it is shown that EIS spectra are not significantly modified when this ionic resistance is changed.     

基于细胞阻抗传感器的腹泻性毒素检测系统设计与实现

针对海洋水产品腹泻性毒素检测问题,设计了一种新型的基于细胞阻抗传感器(ECIS)的毒素快速检测分析系统。相对于传统的毒素检测方法,该系统具有操作简便,高一致性和高通量等特点。介绍了系统的硬件设计和软件设计,通过对系统整体性能测试以及使用神经母细胞瘤细胞(Neuro-2a)对腹泻性贝毒(DSP)大田软海绵酸(OA)进行毒性检测实验,用以验证系统平台的可行性。实验结果表明,基于细胞传感器的海洋水产品腹泻性毒性检测系统具备快速,长期,无损和高通量测量的特点,为腹泻性毒素检测提供了新的平台。     

直流电桥法测量电缆故障点的距离

迅速、准确地探测故障点的位置对保证故障电缆的及时修复有着重要意义。介绍了电缆故障的性质和直流电桥法测量电缆故障点距离的原理，着重阐述了几种常用的电缆接地故障的测量方法，并提出在实际生产、施工中，应根据具体情况选取合理的仪器及测量方法，迅速、准确地探测故障点的位置，以保证故障电缆的及时修复。     

An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy study of the influence of positive plate compression on the electrochemical behaviour of lead-acid batteries

This study has developed an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method for the in situ investigation of the influence of positive plate compression on the electrochemical behaviour of lead-acid batteries during charge/discharge cycling. The EIS data for a fully charged and fully discharged battery are internally consistent with the expected kinetics of a battery in the opposite states of charge, and demonstrate that EIS measurements may be recorded with a high level of reproducibility. Furthermore, this study has necessitated the development of a special cell incorporating horizontally orientated battery plates that can be subjected to elevated pressure through the stacking of lead bricks on top of the cell, as well as a physically robust reference electrode system that can withstand the application of pressure. For this purpose, a platinum-wire pseudo-reference electrode has been developed, and has been shown to exhibit sufficient electrode stability over the period of an EIS recording, enabling the measurement of reproducible and meaningful EIS data. Additionally, the influence of positive plate compression on the behaviour of the lead-acid battery has been investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Clearly, the experimental data show that plate compression enhances significantly the kinetics and concomitant performance of the lead-acid battery, and this is related to the enhanced reactivity of the active material, as rationalized by using the agglomeration-of-spheres (AOS) model.