STS investigations to describe corrosion procedures on thin CrN layers

To represent the corrosion characteristics of thin hard material layers, CrN layers, which were magnetron sputtered, have been exposed to solutions with chloride or sulfate ions. The alterations of the layer surfaces were examined. Static immersion tests were carried out ex-situ in 1 mol L(-1) NaCl or 1 mol L(-1) Na(2)SO(4) solution over a period of 14 months. For in-situ measurements, the layers were inserted into the electrochemical cell of an EC STM as the working electrode. The sample potential was altered cyclically. At the same time, voltammograms were taken and the topography alteration was observed.Alterations in the surface structure were documented as hybrid information resulting from changes in topography and the chemical consistency or the thickness of the oxide layers. These modifications were demonstrated with scanning tunnelling spectroscopy before and after the treatment with solutions. Several chemical phases (initial state and oxide layers) were distinguished with raster tunnelling spectroscopy (measurements I(V) and I(z)). The evaluation of the I(z) spectroscopy showed that the tip was in mechanical contact with the sample if an oxide layer of greater thickness has existed.Exemplary XPS investigations demonstrated corrosive alterations of the CrN layers due to oxidation. Asymmetry and peak locations suggest that in addition to Cr(2)O(3) and CrN a complex mixture of different chromium oxides such as Cr(2)O(3) and Cr(OH)( x) exists.     

氢氧化钠水溶液体系中金属铬的电化学氧化过程

铬铁电氧化溶出技术是一种全新的制备铬酸钠的方法,具有反应条件温和、过程可控、工艺环保等优点,然而金属铬在NaOH水溶液中的电化学氧化过程尚不明确. 本文采用循环伏安法（CV）和阳极极化法（LSV）对金属铬在NaOH水溶液中的电化学氧化过程进行研究. 使用EDS、SEM、XRD和XPS对电解前后的金属铬表征,判断中间物的产生,使用紫外可见分光光度计验证电解液中生成了铬酸钠. 结果表明,金属铬和中间产物Cr(OH)₃可能依次发生电化学氧化直接生成Na₂CrO₄,阳极极化为金属铬的活化. 随着NaOH溶液浓度的增加,Cr(OH)₃和Na₂CrO₄的生成量在增加,金属铬电化学氧化制备铬酸钠的适宜条件为碱浓度≥ 2 mol·L^-1,阳极电势≥ 1.6 V（vs. SCE）.     

Speciation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in environmental samples by using coprecipitation with praseodymium(III) hydroxide and determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A speciation procedure has been established for the flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) based on coprecipitation of Cr(III) by using praseodymium(III) hydroxide (Pr(OH)₃) precipitate. In the presented system, Cr(III) was quantitatively (>95%) recovered at the pH range of 10.0?C12.0 on Pr(III) hydroxide, while the recoveries of Cr(VI) were below 10%. The method was applied to the determination of the total chromium after reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by using hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The concentration of Cr(VI) is calculated by difference of total chromium and Cr(III) levels. The analytical parameters including pH of the aqueous medium, amount of Pr(III), centrifugation speed, sample volume were optimized. The influences of matrix ions were also investigated. The method was validated by the analysis of TMDA 70 fortified lake water certified reference material. The method was applied to the speciation of chromium in water samples.     

Preparation and Study of Decavanadate-Pillared Hydrotalcite-like Anionic Clays Containing Cobalt and Chromium

Hydrotalcite-like compounds containing Co(II) and Cr(III) in the brucite-like layers have been prepared. The interlayer anion was carbonate or decavanadate. The chemical formulas of the samples are [Co(0.65)Cr(0.35)(OH)(2)] (CO(3))(0.175).1.22H(2)O (sample CoCrC) and [Co(0.61)Cr(0.39)(OH)(2)](V(10)O(28))(0.065).1.35H(2)O (sample CoCrV). The compounds have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, XAS, vis-UV, FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopies, while the surface textures were assessed by nitrogen adsorption. Reducibility has been studied by temperature-programmed reduction. A similar characterization study has been carried out on samples obtained after calcination of the parent samples in air at increasing temperatures. Results indicate an ordered structure, with Co(II) and Cr(III) ions in octahedral holes of the brucite-like layers and, in CoCrV, decavanadate species with its main C(2) axis parallel to the layers. Thermal decomposition at increasing temperatures takes place, for CoCrC, through intermediate formation of Cr(VI) species, which are again reduced to Cr(III) at higher temperatures; simultaneously, Co(II) is oxidized to Co(III) (even at 673 K), thus leading to formation of Co(II)Co(III)Cr(III)O(4). However, decomposition of CoCrV takes place through partial depolymerization of decavanadate species and formation of Co(II)Cr(2)O(4) and Co(II)(2)V(2)O(7), without intermediate formation of Cr(VI) species.     

Sorption of chromium(VI) and chromium(III) on aluminium hydroxide

Factors that influence the sorption of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) on aluminium hydroxide were investigated. The sorption of chromates decreases as the pH of the suspension increases. The mechanism of CrO ₄ ^2– sorption was interpreted in terms of reactions between chromates and –OH and/or H₂O groups at the hydroxide/liquid interface. It has been shown that chromates are more tightly sorbed on aluminium hydroxide compared to other anions, e.g. chlorides. On the other hand, specifically absorbed anions, such as molybdates, compete strongly with chromates for the sorption sites. The sorption of chromium(III) increases with the pH of the suspension. Also, the sorption of chromium(III) is suppressed in the presence of citrate ions. The best conditions for the fixation of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) by aluminium hydroxide are presented.     

Microscopic investigations of the Cr(VI) uptake mechanism of living Ochrobactrum anthropi

A basic understanding related to the immobilization of chromium by bacteria is essential for chromate pollutant remediation in the environment. In this work, we studied the Cr(VI) uptake mechanism of living Ochrobactrum anthropi and the influence of a bacterial culture medium on the Cr-immobilization process. It was found that the Cr-immobilization ratio of bacteria in Tris-HCl buffer is higher than in LB medium. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis revealed that the chromium accumulated on bacteria were mostly in Cr(III) states. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations showed that noticeable Cr(III) precipitates were accumulated on bacterial surfaces. AFM roughness analysis revealed that the surface roughness of bacteria increased greatly when the bacteria-Cr(VI) interaction was in Tris-HCl buffer rather than in LB solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) thin section analysis coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that Cr(III) is also distributed in bacterial inner portions. A chromium-immobilization mechanism considering the participation of both bacterial inner portions and bacterial surfaces of living Ochrobactrum anthropi was proposed, whereas the bacterial surface was the dominant part of the immobilization of Cr(III). This work also proved that the control of Cr immobilization by living Ochrobactrum anthropi could be achieved via adjusting the bacterial culture medium.     

Voltammetry and in situ scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of osmium, iron, and ruthenium complexes of 2,2':6',2'-terpyridine covalently linked to Au(111)-electrodes

We have studied self-assembled molecular monolayers (SAMs) of complexes between Os(II)/(III), Fe(II)/(III), and Ru(II)/(III) and a 2,2',6',2'-terpyridine (terpy) derivative linked to Au(111)-electrode surfaces via a 6-acetylthiohexyloxy substituent at the 4'-position of terpy. The complexes were prepared in situ by first linking the terpy ligand to the surface via the S-atom, followed by addition of suitable metal compounds. The metal-terpy SAMs were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), and in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy with full electrochemical potential control of substrate and tip (in situ STM). Sharp CV peaks were observed for the Os- and Fe complexes, with interfacial electrochemical electron transfer rate constants of 6-50 s(-1). Well-defined but significantly broader peaks (up to 300 mV) were observed for the Ru-complex. Addition of 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) towards completion of the metal coordination spheres induced voltammetric sharpening. In situ STM images of single molecular scale strong structural features were observed for the osmium and iron complexes. As expected from the voltammetric patterns, the surface coverage was by far the highest for the Ru-complex which was therefore selected for scanning tunnelling spectroscopy. These correlations displayed a strong peak around the equilibrium potential with systematic shifts with increasing bias voltage, as expected for a sequential two-step in situ ET mechanism.     

Electrodeposition of Multilayered Ni–Cr Films from Sulfate–Oxalate Electrolytes

As shown by scanning Auger electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy, multilayered Ni–Cr thin films can be deposited under the action of periodic currents from sulfate–oxalate solutions containing nickel and chromium ions. The chromium-rich layers have an amorphous structure. In the nickel/chromium interphase region, the carbon content is elevated. Nickel layers contain admixtures of a hydroxide nature.     

Comparative Study of Chromium Biosorption by Mesorhizobium amorphae Strain CCNWGS0123 in Single and Binary Mixtures

The appearance of chromium in the aqueous effluent is a major concern for the modern industry. In this work, Mesorhizobium amorphae strain CCNWGS0123 was investigated as a biosorbent to remove chromium from aqueous solutions. The optimum pH for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) biosorption were 4 and 2, respectively. This isolate showed an experimental maximum Cr(III) adsorption capacity of 53.52 mg?L^?1, while the result was 47.67 mg?L^?1 for Cr(VI), with an initial 100 mg?L^?1 Cr ions and 1.0 g?L^?1 biomass. In terms of time equilibrium, Cr(III) ion was more readily adsorbed than Cr(VI) by this isolate. The biosorption data of both ions fit the Langmuir isotherm better than that of Freundlich model. Meanwhile, this organism exhibited a good capability to release Cr ions, with desorption efficiency of 70 % for Cr(III) and 76 % for Cr(VI). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that –OH, –COO, –NH, amide I, and C=O were involved in Cr(III) and Cr(VI) binding. The biosorbent was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, which indicated an accumulation of chromium on the cellular level. In the binary mixtures, the removal ratio of total Cr and Cr(III) increased from pH?2 to 4. The highest removal ratio of the total Cr was observed in the 25/25 mg?L^?1 mixture at pH?4. In addition, the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) was closely influenced by Cr(III) in the mixture, decreasing to 23.57 mg?g^?1 in the 100/100 mg?L^?1 mixture system, due to the competition of Cr(III). The potential usage of the chromium-resistant rhizobium for the remediation of chromium-contaminated effluents has been demonstrated based on the above results.     

Selective oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone over Cr(III) Schiff base complex intercalated into layered double hydroxide

A new heterogeneous catalyst, Cr(III) Schiff base‐containing layered double hydroxide, was synthesized using the intercalation method. The Cr(III) Schiff base complex derived from 2‐hydroxy‐1‐naphthaldehyde and 4‐aminobenzoic acid was intercalated into the layered double hydroxide. The synthesized materials were characterized using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, diffuse reflectance UV–visible spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The catalytic activity was investigated for the oxidation of ethylbenzene with tert‐butylhydroperoxide as an oxidant under solvent‐free conditions as well as with lower chromium concentrations. In the oxidation reaction, ethylbenzene was oxidized to acetophenone and benzaldehyde. The catalyst was recycled ten times without significant loss of catalytic activity. Leaching studies performed with hot filtration experiments showed that the chromium catalyst was heterogeneous in nature and stable under the reaction conditions.     

Adsorption and desorption processes of self-assembled monolayers studied by surface-sensitive microscopy and spectroscopy

Adsorption and desorption processes of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been studied on an Au(111) surface by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). At the initial growth stage, the ordered nucleation of SAM located at the herringbone turns of the Au(111) − (22 × √3) surface reconstruction and diffusion-controlled domain formation have been imaged by STM and AFM. Details of the oxidation process in UV desorption were also investigated by XPS. In addition, the dimerization reaction during desorption was confirmed by TDS for the first time in the alkanethiol SAM system.     

The interfaces of Au(111) and Au(100) in a hexaalkyl-substituted guanidinium ionic liquid: an electrochemical and in situ STM study

Five hexaalkylguanidinium-based ionic liquids have been synthesised, and based on their cyclic voltammograms the most suited one, N,N-dibutyl-N',N'-diethyl-N',N'-dimethylguanidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, has been chosen for electrochemical studies. The surface interaction of this room-temperature ionic liquid with single crystalline gold surfaces (Au(100) and Au(111)) has been investigated using cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy and in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). The interfacial capacitance was found to be very low; STM measurements revealed the hex-reconstruction and herringbone reconstruction for Au(100) and for Au(111), respectively, at negative potentials; that is, at these potentials no hints for ad-structures of the cation could be found.     

CaNa[Cr(OH)6] – A Layered Hydroxochromate(III) with Ordered Brucite Structure and its Thermal Decomposition

Green single-crystals of the hydroxochromate(III) CaNa[Cr(OH)₆] were grown under highly alkaline hydrothermal conditions at about 200 °C. The starting materials Ca(NO₃)₂ · 6H₂O and Cr(NO₃)₃ · 9H₂O were reacted in a mixture of water and sodium hydroxide with the molar ratio of 2.8:1. CaNa[Cr(OH)₆] crystallizes in the non-centrosymmetric trigonal space group R3 with the lattice parameters a = 583.86(2) pm and c = 1428.73(6) pm [T = 100(1) K]. Characteristically, the crystals are reverse-obverse as well as inversion twins. The crystal structure is a stack of uncharged metal hydroxide layers, which can be regarded as a cation-ordered rhombohedral variant of the Mg(OH)₂ (brucite) structure type. The oxidation state of chromium(III) and its coordination by hydroxide groups was confirmed by UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy, respectively. Temperature-dependent magnetic measurements revealed paramagnetic behavior with an effective moment of 3.82 μ_B per chromium atom. The thermal decomposition of CaNa[Cr(OH)₆] takes place at about 225 °C, where the fast elimination of 1.5 equivalents of water is followed by the oxidation of chromium(III) to chromium(VI). Upon further heating to 1000 °C and 1200 °C, the intermediate decomposition products CaCrO₄ and Na₂CrO₄ transform into the oxochromates(V) Ca₅(CrO₄)₃O_0.5 and Ca₃(CrO₄)₂, respectively.     

In situ scanning tunnelling microscopic study of the initial stages of growth and of the structure of the passive film on Ni(111) in 1 mM NaOH(aq)

In situ electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscopic (STM) measurements of the growth mechanism of the passive film on Ni(111) single-crystal surfaces in an alkaline 1 mM NaOH aqueous solution are reported. Stepping the potential from –1,050 mV/SHE, where the terrace topography of the bare Ni(111) surface is observed, to –800 mV generates a continuous step flow resulting from a slow dissolution of the surface localized at step edges of the surface. Islands are observed on the terraces that possibly correspond to the specific adsorption of hydroxide anions, without formation of an ordered structure. The nucleation of the passivating oxide is preferentially located at the step edges at this potential. The ongoing dissolution at the nearby step edges not yet passivated leads to the formation of isolated 2D islands of the passivating oxide. At –780 mV, the formation of extended islands constituted of 2D nanocrystals (~2 nm) is observed on the substrate terraces and blocks the dissolution at the step edges. The nanocrystals have an hexagonal lattice assigned to the formation of a monolayer of Ni(OH)₂(0001) in strained epitaxy on Ni(111). At E–630 mV, the formation of a facetted topography is observed as a result of the 3D growth of the passive film in tilted epitaxy on the substrate. Its structure is in excellent agreement with that expected for an unstrained 3D -Ni(OH)₂(0001) layer. This 3D layer of -Ni(OH)₂ is not reduced by a cathodic sweep of the potential down to –1,500 mV whereas the 2D islands are reduced under similar conditions. Ageing of the passive film shifts cathodically the potential of non-reversibility.Special issue for Prof. Gyorgy Horanyi on the occasion of his 70th birthday, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Electrochemistry and Material Science.     

Characterization of hexavalent chromium interaction with Sargassum by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry calculation

Hexavalent chromium represents higher toxicity in aqueous solutions. It can be removed by such low-cost biosorbents as Sargassum sp. In this study, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry (QC) calculation were used to study the interactions between hexavalent chromium and Sargassum sp. during the biosorption. It was found that most of the adsorbed Cr(VI) ions were reduced to Cr(III) after the biosorption. The electrons for the reduction of Cr(VI) were possibly supplied from the Sargassum biomass, some organic compounds of which were oxidized. Cr(III) ions were coordinated with the oxygen atoms from either carboxyl or hydroxyl functional groups to form an octahedral structural metal complex. The coordination numbers of the formed Cr complex were 4-6, and bond length of Cr-O was 1.98?. QC calculation proved the possible formation of the Cr(III) metal complex, and revealed that carboxyl from biomass could be strongly bound with Cr(III). A three-step removal mechanism of Cr(VI) by Sargassum was proposed.     

Cathodic Reduction of Chromium on a Surface of Nickel Modified by Aromatic Carboxylic Acids

Effect of organic compounds (salicylic, acetylsalicylic, and p-nitrobenzoic acids) adsorbed on a nickel surface or introduced into solution on the cathodic reduction of Cr(VI) is studied by measuring voltammetric curves in a wide potential range up to the beginning of electrodeposition of black chromium. If the adsorbate is salicylic or p-nitrobenzoic acid, only the maximum current corresponding to incomplete reduction Cr(VI) Cr(III) increases in cathodic polarization curve (PC). On a surface modified by acetylsalicylic acid, in addition to an increase in the maximum current, all parts of PC shift towards positive potentials. The Cr(VI) reduction on modified surfaces accelerates presumably due to the electron transfer from the cathode surface onto Cr(VI) atoms, accelerated by the formation of bridges with an increased electron conduction.     

Speciation of chromium by selective separation and preconcentration of Cr(III) on an immobilized nanometer titanium dioxide microcolumn

Nanometer titanium dioxide immobilized on silica gel (immobilized nanometer-scale TiO2 particles) was prepared by a sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorptive behavior of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) on immobilized nanometer TiO2 was assessed. Cr(III) was selectively sorbed on immobilized nanometer TiO2 in the pH range of 7-9, while Cr(VI) was found to remain in solution. A sensitive and selective method has been developed for the speciation of chromium in water samples using an immobilized nanometer TiO2 microcolumn and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Under optimized conditions (pH 7.0, flow rate 2.0 mL/min), Cr(III) was retained on the column, then eluted with 0.5 mol/L HNO3 and determined by ICP-AES. Total chromium was determined after the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by ascorbic acid. The adsorption capacity of immobilized nanometer TiO2 for Cr(III) was found to be 7.04 mg/g. The detection limit for Cr(III) was 0.22 ng/mL and the RSD was 3.5% (n = 11, c = 100 ng/ mL) with an enrichment factor of 50. The proposed method has been applied to the speciation of chromium in water samples with satisfactory results.     

An in situ STM/AFM and impedance spectroscopy study of the extremely pure 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate/Au(111) interface: potential dependent solvation layers and the herringbone reconstruction

The structure and dynamics of the interfacial layers between the extremely pure air- and water-stable ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate and Au(111) has been investigated using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements. The in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy measurements reveal that the Au(111) surface undergoes a reconstruction, and at -1.2 V versus Pt quasi-reference the famous (22 × √3) herringbone superstructure is probed. Atomic force microscopy measurements show that multiple ion pair layers are present at the ionic liquid/Au interface which are dependent on the electrode potential. Upon applying cathodic electrode potentials, stronger ionic liquid near surface structure is detected: both the number of near surface layers and the force required to rupture these layers increases. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results reveal that three distinct processes take place at the interface. The fastest process is capacitive in its low-frequency limit and is identified with electrochemical double layer formation. The differential electrochemical double layer capacitance exhibits a local maximum at -0.2 V versus Pt quasi-reference, which is most likely caused by changes in the orientation of cations in the innermost layer. In the potential range between -0.84 V and -1.04 V, a second capacitive process is observed which is slower than electrochemical double layer formation. This process seems to be related to the herringbone reconstruction. In the frequency range below 1 Hz, the onset of an ultraslow faradaic process is found. This process becomes faster when the electrode potential is shifted to more negative potentials.     

Corrosion and wear resistance properties of multilayered diamond‐like carbon nanocomposite coating

Multilayered diamond‐like carbon (DLC) nanocomposite coating has been deposited on silicon and stainless steel substrates by combination of cathodic arc evaporation and magnetron sputtering. In order to make DLC coating adhered to metal substrate, a chromium interlayer has been deposited with constant bias voltage of −150 V applied to the substrate. Dense multilayered coating consists of metallic or nonmetallic and tetrahedral carbon (ta‐C) layers with total thickness of 1.44 μm. The coating has been studied for composition, morphology, surface nature, nanohardness, corrosion resistance, and tribological properties. The composition of the coating has been estimated by energy‐dispersive spectroscopy. Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy have been used to study the surface morphology and topography. I_D/I_G ratio of ta‐C:N layer obtained from Raman spectroscopy is 1.2, indicating the disorder in the layer. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of individual ta‐C:N, CrN, and Cr‐doped DLC layers confirm the presence of sp²C, sp³C, CrN, Cr₂N, and carbidic carbon, and sp²C, sp³C, and Cr carbide. Nanohardness studies show the maximum penetration depth of 70 to 85 nm. Average nanohardness of the multilayered DLC coating is found to be 35 ± 2.8 GPa, and Young's modulus is 270 GPa. The coating demonstrates superior corrosion resistance with better passivation behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution, and corrosion potential is observed to move towards nobler (more positive) values. A low coefficient of friction (0.11) at different loads is observed from reciprocating wear studies. Wear volume is lower at all loads on the multilayered DLC nanocomposite coating compared to the substrate.     

铂电极在氯化钾溶液中电化学行为的STM和EMUV/VRS方法研究

用电化学现场扫描遂道显微镜(in situ STM)和电化学调制紫外可见反射光谱(EMUV/VRS)技术研究了铂电极在KCl溶液中的电化学行为, 结果表明,在KCl溶液中,Pt电极阳极氧化/阴极还原过程为阳极溶解/阴极沉积过程,阳极溶解可能经历吸附的Cl~-离子与Pt表面原子生成表面铂氯化物步骤,实验表明STM比EMUV/VRS具有更高的空间分辨率。