Session: Undergraduate Research Posters: Analytical Chemistry:

Corrosion is very prevalent in today’s society, especially in the Navy. One method of corrosion inhibition is anti-corrosive paint which is applied to ships and airplanes. A common ingredient in anti-corrosive paint has been Chromium (VI), which is excellent at corrosion inhibition but is also toxic during application and to the environment. Thus, many studies are in progress to find alternative anti-corrosion species. This work investigates corrosion inhibition properties of cerium oxide nanoparticles in aircraft primers on aircraft grade aluminum. Typically, evaluation of a new anti corrosion paint involves painting a metal sample and allowing it to weather for months to years to evaluate its performance. This research uses the scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) to more quickly evaluate anti-corrosion paints. The SECM applies a voltage to the sample, which produces the effect of corrosion much more quickly than typical weathering. The SECM can be used to map the electrochemical surface properties of the sample and quickly determine if an anti-corrosion species has potential for further evaluation, thus allowing good anti-corrosion candidates to be identified quickly and prioritized for further testing.

Dr. Julie A. Spencer Ph.D.

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