AVS 46th International Symposium
    Surface Science Division Wednesday Sessions
       Session SS-WeP

Paper SS-WeP27
Corrosion Inhibition of Aluminum by Self-Assembling Monolayers

Wednesday, October 27, 1999, 5:30 pm, Room 4C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: S.M. Wetterer, Oakite Products, Inc.
Authors: S.M. Wetterer, Oakite Products, Inc.
P. Dharia, Oakite Products, Inc.
S. Xie, Oakite Products, Inc.
J.J. Donofrio, Oakite Products, Inc.
Correspondent: Click to Email
Self-assembling monolayers have been evaluated as an alternative to traditional chromium-based treatments for corrosion protection of aluminum surfaces. With good water solubility and long-term solution stability, alkyl phosphonic acids were found to be suitable candidates for the formation of a well-ordered, passivating layer on a series of aluminum alloys. Application process parameters such as immersion time, bath temperature, and anneal time significantly affected the development of the monolayer with implications for the resultant protective benefit of the layer as assessed by humidity and salt-spray corrosion testing. Additional characterization of monolayer-treated panels by SEM and EDAX has provided information regarding monolayer performance over surface defects and edge sites. Modeling of the mechanisms of corrosion protection and eventual breakdown of phosphonate monolayers will be presented.