Mapping elemental solutes at sub-picogram levels during aqueous corrosion of Al alloys using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) with LA-ICP-MS

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Abstract

A novel approach using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for two-dimensional mapping of elemental solute release at sub-picogram levels during aqueous corrosion of Al alloys is presented. Evaluation of different DGT gels with mixed micro-sized binding phases (polyacrylamide-Chelex-Metsorb, polyurethane (PU)-Chelex-Metsorb, PU-Chelex-Zr(OH) 4) demonstrated the superior performance of PU gels due to their tear-proof handling, low shrinkage, and compliance with green chemistry. DGT devices containing PU-Chelex-Zr(OH) 4 gels, which have not been characterized for Al sampling before, showed quantitative uptake of Al, Zn, and Cu solutes over time (t = 4–48 h) with higher Al capacity (Γ DGT = 6.25 µg cm −2) than different gels. Application of PU-Chelex-Zr(OH) 4 gels on a high-strength Al-Cu alloy (Al2219) exposed to NaCl (w = 1.5%, pH = 4.5, T = 21 °C) for 15 min in a novel piston-type configuration revealed reproducible patterns of Al and Zn co-solubilization with a spatial expansion ranging between 50 and 1000 µm. This observation, together with complementary solid-state data from secondary electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, showed the presence of localized pitting corrosion at the material surface. Detection limits for total solute masses of Al, Zn, and Cu were ≤0.72 pg, ≤8.38 pg, and ≤0.12 pg, respectively, for an area of 0.01 mm 2, demonstrating the method’s unique capability to localize and quantify corrosion processes at ultra-trace levels and high resolution. Our study advances the assessment of Al alloy degradation in aqueous environments, supporting the design of corrosion-resistant materials for fostering technological safety and sustainability. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3373–3388
Number of pages16
JournalAnalytical and bioanalytical chemistry
Volume416.2024
Issue numberJune
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Apr 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.

Keywords

  • Aluminium
  • Chemical imaging
  • Corrosion
  • Diffusion
  • Passive sampling

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