Unveiling the Secrets of Atomic-Level Corrosion

Researchers are using environmental transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to study the atomic-level reactions between water vapor and metal surfaces, specifically focusing on the formation of passivation layers that protect against corrosion. By introducing water vapor to clean aluminum samples, they observed the development of an amorphous layer underneath the aluminum hydroxide layer, indicating a transport mechanism that diffuses oxygen into the substrate. Understanding these atomic reactions could lead to better corrosion management techniques and clean-energy solutions, as well as significant economic benefits.