Ultrathin passive films effectively prevent the chemical attack of stainless steel grades in corrosive environments; their stability depends on the interplay between structure and chemistry of the ...constituents iron, chromium, and molybdenum (Fe-Cr-Mo). Carbon (C), and eventually boron (B), are also important constituents of steels, although in small quantities. In particular, nanoscale inhomogeneities along the surface can have an impact on material failure but are still poorly understood. Addressing a stainless-type glass-forming Fe 50 Cr 15 Mo 14 C 15 B 6 alloy and using a combination of complementary high-resolution analytical techniques, we relate near-atomistic insights into increasingly inhomogeneous nanostructures with time- and element-resolved dissolution behavior. The progressive elemental partitioning on the nanoscale determines the degree of passivation. A detrimental transition from Cr-controlled passivity to Mo-controlled breakdown is dissected atom by atom, demonstrating the importance of nanoscale knowledge for understanding corrosion.
Corrosion destroys more than three per cent of the world's GDP. Recently, the electrochemical decomposition of metal alloys has been more productively harnessed to produce porous materials with ...diverse technological potential. High-resolution insight into structure formation during electrocorrosion is a prerequisite for an atomistic understanding and control of such electrochemical surface processes. Here we report atomic-scale observations of the initial stages of corrosion of a Cu3Au(111) single crystal alloy within a sulphuric acid solution. We monitor, by in situ X-ray diffraction with picometre-scale resolution, the structure and chemical composition of the electrolyte/alloy interface as the material decomposes. We reveal the microscopic structural changes associated with a general passivation phenomenon of which the origin has been hitherto unclear. We observe the formation of a gold-enriched single-crystal layer that is two to three monolayers thick, and has an unexpected inverted (CBA-) stacking sequence. At higher potentials, we find that this protective passivation layer dewets and pure gold islands are formed; such structures form the templates for the growth of nanoporous metals. Our experiments are carried out on a model single-crystal system. However, the insights should equally apply within a crystalline grain of an associated polycrystalline electrode fabricated from many other alloys exhibiting a large difference in the standard potential of their constituents, such as stainless steel (see ref. 5 for example) or alloys used for marine applications, such as CuZn or CuAl.
Understanding phase changes, including their formation and evolution, is critical for the performance of functional as well as structural materials. We analyze in detail microstructural and chemical ...transformations of the amorphous steel Fe50Cr15Mo14C15B6 during isothermal treatments at temperatures ranging from 550 to 800°C. By combining high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Rietveld analyses of X-ray diffraction patterns together with the local chemical data obtained by atom probe tomography, this research provides relevant information at the atomic scale about the mechanisms of crystallization and the subsequent phases evolution. During the initial stages of crystallization a stable (Fe,Cr)23(C,B)6 precipitates as well as two metastable intermediates of M3(C,B) and the intermetallic χ-phase. When full crystallization is reached, only a percolated nano-scale Cr-rich (Fe,Cr)23(C,B)6 and Mo-rich η-Fe3Mo3C structure is detected, with no evidence to suggest that other phases appear at any subsequent time. Finally, the corrosion behavior of the developed phases is discussed from considerations of the obtained atomic information.
Significant developments of Li-ion batteries will be necessary to cope with the growing demands in electromobility or home storage of (sustainable) electrical energy. A detailed knowledge on the ...microscopic processes during battery cycling will be increasingly crucial for improvements. Involved phase changes at ambient temperature often involve metastable intermediate states, making both experimental observation and theoretical prediction of process pathways difficult. Here we describe an in situ high energy X-ray diffraction study following the initial alloying and dealloying of Li with an Au thin-film model anode using ionic liquid electrolyte. Six different crystalline alloy phases were observed to be involved in the cyclic phase transitions. Apart from the highest lithiated phase determined in this study, Li3Au, none of the observed phases could be related to known, thermodynamically stable Li–Au phases. Structural search calculations following the minima hopping method (MHM) allowed the assignment of these phases to distinct metastable Au–Li alloy unit cells.
•Partial replacement of 4% Fe by Cr reveals the widest ΔTx.•The best glass forming ability is observed for the samples with 4% and 6% of Cr.•The substitution of 4% Fe with Cr improves the corrosion ...resistance in this system.•To improve the GFA and corrosion resistance, 4-6 at.% of Cr should be added.•More Cr improves the corrosion resistance but diminishes the GFA.
The effect of low amounts of Cr on glass forming ability and corrosion behavior of Fe(65−x)CrxMo14C15B6 (x=0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10at.%) ribbons have been studied. It was found that the reduced glass transition temperature (Trg) do not change significantly with Cr content. The glass forming ability (GFA) of this system is evaluated by the γm, δ and ω parameters and the alloys containing 4 and 6at.% were found to be the best glass formers in this system. The temperature interval of the supercooled liquid region (ΔTx) changed with Cr and was enlarged from 35K at x=0 to 50K at x=4. Corrosion rates measured by immersion tests in H2SO4 decreased with an increase of chromium content in the alloys. The electrochemical measurements indicate that the alloys containing more than 4at.% of Cr are spontaneously passivated with low current densities in 0.1N H2SO4 whereas the alloys with Cr content <4at.% showed transpassive Mo dissolution. In view of these results, the optimal amount of Cr addition in Fe–Mo–C–B amorphous steels is discussed.
Controlling the molecular organization of organic self-assembled monolayers (SAM) is of utmost importance in nanotechnology, molecular electronics, and surface science. Here we propose two ...well-differentiated approaches, double printing based on microcontact printing (μ-cp) and molecular backfilling adsorption, to produce complex alkanethiol films. The resulting films on model Au surfaces were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements. Double printing alkanethiols results in clear coexisting regions where no molecular displacement is observed, highlighting the slow diffusion rates of long alkanethiols and large attractive interaction between long alkyl chains. Exposing a single-print μ-cp Au substrate to an additional alkanethiol solution yields the formation of differently ordered domain boundaries with different thickness and micrometer lateral size. The high order is a result of enhanced molecular mobility and restructuring during solution backfilling. The formed molecular assemblies constitute an excellent testing ground for nanoscale phenomena that strongly depend on the nanoscale geometrical and chemical features of the surface such as designed functionality or corrosion initiation and inhibition.
The structure and chemistry of thiol or selenol self-assembled organic monolayers have been frequently addressed due to the unique opportunities in functionalization of materials. Such organic films ...can also act as effective inhibition layers to mitigate oxidation or corrosion. Cu-Au alloy substrates covered by self-assembled monolayers show a different dealloying mechanism compared to bare surfaces. The organic surface layer inhibits dealloying of noble metal alloys by a suppression of surface diffusion at lower potentials but at higher applied potentials dealloying proceeds in localized regions due to passivity breakdown. We present an in situ atomic force microscopy study of a patterned thiol layer applied on Cu-Au alloy surfaces and further explore approaches to change the local composition of the surface layers by exchange of molecules. The pattern for the in situ experiment has been applied by micro-contact printing. This allows the study of corrosion protection with its dependence on different molecule densities at different sites. Low-density thiol areas surrounding the high-density patterns are completely protected and initiation of dealloying proceeds only along the areas with the lowest inhibitor concentration. Dealloying patterns are highly influenced and controlled by molecular thiol to selenol exchange and are also affected by introducing structural defects such as scratches or polishing defects.
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a polyphenolic compound derived from the spice plant Curcuma longa, displays multiple actions on solid tumours including anti-angiogenic effects. Here we have studied in ...rodent and human pituitary tumour cells the influence of curcumin on the production of hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1A) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), two key components involved in tumour neovascularisation through angiogenesis. Curcumin dose-dependently inhibited basal VEGFA secretion in corticotroph AtT20 mouse and lactosomatotroph GH3 rat pituitary tumour cells as well as in all human pituitary adenoma cell cultures (n=32) studied. Under hypoxia-mimicking conditions (CoCl(2) treatment) in AtT20 and GH3 cells as well as in all human pituitary adenoma cell cultures (n=8) studied, curcumin strongly suppressed the induction of mRNA synthesis and protein production of HIF1A, the regulated subunit of the hypoxia-induced transcription factor HIF1. Curcumin also blocked hypoxia-induced mRNA synthesis and secretion of VEGFA in GH3 cells and in all human pituitary adenoma cell cultures investigated (n=18). Thus, curcumin may inhibit pituitary adenoma progression not only through previously demonstrated anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic actions but also by its suppressive effects on pituitary tumour neovascularisation.
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•Simplistic correlations between molecular parameters and corrosion inhibition efficiencies critically evaluated.•24 heterocyclic organic compounds tested as corrosion inhibitors for ...Cu in 3 wt.% NaCl aqueous solution.•None among usually considered molecular parameters correlates with inhibition efficiency.•Pros and cons of the inhibition efficiency (IE) metric discussed: IE suffers from nonlinearity.•Inhibition power proposed as a new metric for evaluating the performance of corrosion inhibitors.
The often used simplistic correlations between molecular electronic parameters and experimentally determined corrosion inhibition efficiencies are critically evaluated for a set of 24 heterocyclic organic compounds, tested as corrosion inhibitors for copper in 3 wt.% NaCl aqueous solution. Twelve different molecular electronic descriptors—such as ionization potential, electron affinity, HOMO–LUMO gap, dipole moment—are tested and it is shown that none of them displays any noticeable correlation with the inhibition efficiency. Our results, therefore, cast serious doubt on reported correlations between such parameters and inhibition efficiency, obtained for only a few inhibitors, which are abundant in the literature. We also discuss some pros and cons of inhibition efficiency as a metric for evaluating the performance of corrosion inhibitors, and introduce a new metric termed inhibition power that uses the universal logarithmic scale and dimensionless decibel (dB) units.
Somatic mutations or loss of von Hippel-Lindau (pVHL) happen in the majority of VHL disease tumors, which present a constitutively active Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF), essential for tumor growth. ...Recently described mechanisms for pVHL modulation shed light on the open question of the HIF/pVHL pathway regulation. The aim of the present study was to determine the molecular mechanism by which RSUME stabilizes HIFs, by studying RSUME effect on pVHL function and to determine the role of RSUME on pVHL-related tumor progression. We determined that RSUME sumoylates and physically interacts with pVHL and negatively regulates the assembly of the complex between pVHL, Elongins and Cullins (ECV), inhibiting HIF-1 and 2α ubiquitination and degradation. We found that RSUME is expressed in human VHL tumors (renal clear-cell carcinoma (RCC), pheochromocytoma and hemangioblastoma) and by overexpressing or silencing RSUME in a pVHL-HIF-oxygen-dependent degradation stability reporter assay, we determined that RSUME is necessary for the loss of function of type 2 pVHL mutants. The functional RSUME/pVHL interaction in VHL-related tumor progression was further confirmed using a xenograft assay in nude mice. RCC clones, in which RSUME was knocked down and express either pVHL wt or type 2 mutation, have an impaired tumor growth, as well as HIF-2α, vascular endothelial growth factor A and tumor vascularization diminution. This work shows a novel mechanism for VHL tumor progression and presents a new mechanism and factor for targeting tumor-related pathologies with pVHL/HIF altered function.
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