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Electron work function at grain boundary and the corrosion behavior of nanocrystalline metallic materials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

D. Y. Li
D. Y. Li*
Affiliation:
dongyang.li@ualberta.ca, University of Alberta, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Dept. of Chem. & Mater. Eng., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G6, Canada, (780) 492-6750, (780) 492-2881
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Abstract

Due to their high grain boundary density, nanocrystalline materials possess unusual mechanical, physical and chemical properties. Extensive research on nanocrystalline materials has been conducted in recent years. Many studies have shown that corrosion, one of important properties of nanocrystalline materials, is crucial to their applications. In this article, the activity of electrons at grain boundaries of metallic surfaces is analyzed based the electron work function (EWF), the minimum energy required to attract electrons from inside a metal. It is demonstrated that at grain boundaries, the electron work function decreases, indicating that at a grain boundary, electrons are more active. As a result, the surface becomes more electrochemically reactive. Such increase in electrochemical reactivity has negative effect on the corrosion resistance of nanocrystalline materials. However, for a passive nanocrystalline metal or alloy, the nanocrystalline structure is beneficial to its corrosion resistance through rapid formation of a protective passive film. The mechanisms responsible for the variation in EWF at grain boundary and effects of nanocrystallization on corrosion are discussed in this article.

Keywords

nanostructurecorrosionelectrical properties
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 887: Symposium Q – Degradation Processes in Nanostructured Materials , 2005 , 0887-Q05-03
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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