Influence of the Electrode Distance on Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Ni-Cr Alloyed Layers Deposited by Double Glow Plasma Surface Metallurgy

Ni-Cr alloyed layers were synthesized on the surface of Q235 mild steel by double-glow plasma surface metallurgy with different electrode distance.The microstructure and phases of the alloyed layer were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry(EDS),and X-ray diffraction(XRD).The corrosion behavior of the Ni-Cr alloyed layers both in 3.5%NaCl and 0.5 M H_(2)SO_(4) solution were systematically investigated by open-circuit potential(OCP),potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS).The obtained results reveal that the Ni-Cr alloyed layer consists of a deposited layer and an inter-diffusion layer.With increasing the electrode distance,the relative thickness,microstructure and phase composition of the Ni-Cr alloyed layers vary greatly.Polarization data show the Ni-Cr alloyed layer with the electrode distance of 15 mm has highest corrosion resistance and lowest corrosion rate,while EIS results reveal the same trend.The highest protective efficiency in 3.5%NaCl and 0.5 M H_(2)SO_(4) solution are 99.23%and 99.92%,respectively,obtained for the Ni-Cr alloyed layer with 15 mm electrode distance.When the electrode distance is too large,a thin and porosity Ni-Cr alloyed layer,caused by low plasma density and Kirkendall effect,will be obtained,and will decrease the protective efficiency in corrosive medium.

Low-bias negative differential conductance controlled by electrode separation

The electronic transport properties of a single thiolated arylethynylene molecule with 9,10-dihydroanthracene core, denoted as TADHA, is studied by using non-equilibrium Green＇s function formalism combined with ab initio calculations. The numerical results show that the TADHA molecule exhibits excellent negative differential conductance （NDC） behavior at lower bias regime as probed experimentally. The NDC behavior of TADHA molecule originates from the Stark effect of the applied bias voltage, by which the highest occupied molecular orbital （HOMO） and the HOMO-1 are pulled apart and become localized. The NDC behavior of TADHA molecular system is tunable by changing the electrode distance. Shortening the electrode separation can enhance the NDC effect which is attributed to the possible increase of coupling between the two branches of TADHA molecule.