Development of an automated millifluidic platform and data-analysis pipeline for rapid electrochemical corrosion measurements: a pH study on Zn-Ni

TL;DR

This paper introduces an automated millifluidic platform and data analysis pipeline for rapid electrochemical corrosion testing, demonstrated through pH-dependent corrosion studies on Zn-Ni alloy with integrated data correlation.

Contribution

It presents a novel automated, flexible millifluidic system with an integrated data analysis pipeline for localized corrosion measurements.

Findings

Corrosion behavior varies with pH as shown by electrochemical data.

Automated system enables rapid, localized corrosion testing.

Results are validated with XPS and literature data.

Abstract

We describe the development of a millifluidic based scanning droplet cell platform for rapid and automated corrosion. This system allows for measurement of corrosion properties (e.g., open circuit potential, corrosion current through Tafel and linear polarization resistance measurements, and cyclic voltammograms) on a localized section of a planar sample. Our system is highly automated and flexible, allowing for scripted changing and mixing of solutions and point-to-point motion on the sample. We have also created an automated data analysis pipeline. Here we demonstrate this tool by corroding a plate of electroplated Zn$_{85}$Ni$_{15}$ alloy over a range of pH values and correlate our results with XPS measurements and literature.