Electrochemistry in confined nanoscale geometries

Coating systems are complex multi-component and dynamic, and critical to operational lifetime and safety of engineering materials. They typically fail due to delamination caused by electrochemical reactions at alloy-coating interfaces. Some of the inter-related parameters are shown schematically below. In this project we will improve mechanistic understanding of undercoating degradation processes with particular focus on surface dissolution, oxygen reduction and polymer degradation processes (in particular in response to by-products of oxygen reduction). We aim to deconvolute how the nature and concentrations of reactive species in the confined space between metal and coating play a role in polymer degradation