Practical Aspects of Electrochemical Corrosion Measurements during in Situ Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) of Austenitic Stainless Steel in Aqueous Media

Abstract

The capability to perform liquid in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments provides an unprecedented opportunity to examine the real-time processes of physical and chemical/electrochemical reactions during the interaction between metal surfaces and liquid environments. This work describes the requisite steps to make the technique fully analytical, from sample preparation, through modifications of the electrodes, characterization of electrolytes, and finally to electrochemical corrosion experiments comparing in situ TEM to conventional bulk cell and microcell configurations.