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CORROSION RESEARCH CENTER AREAS OF RESEARCH |
Very thin aqueous films (on the order of tens of angstroms) can form on metals at less than 100 percent relative humidity, and these films can be quite corrosive, especially if the solution is contaminated with atmospheric pollutants or particulates. Because of the thinness of the electrolyte film, standard electrochemical techniques are difficult to apply. In this study the contactless Kelvin probe technique is being adapted to measure the corrosion potential during corrosion under thin aqueous films. Refinements of the probe are aimed at improving the lateral resolution to allow mapping as a function of position. While the present studies are being carried out on simple prototype metals, future extensions of the technique will be applied to microelectronic systems.
It has been found that a nuclear reaction may accompany the electrochemical deposition of hydrogen upon metals. This is completely unexpected and unexplainable by contemporary physics and is being studied by means of alpha particle track detectors. The aims of this research are to ascertain the conditions necessary for the occurrence of the phenomenon, and to understand the nature of the nuclear reaction. The ultimate goal is to develop a useful, non-polluting source of energy in the future.