Characterising adlayers of surfactants using nonlinear optics – Vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy
| Dates: | 10 November 2021 |
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| Times: | 13:00 - 14:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Photon Science Institute |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Dr. Michael Dowhyj |
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Join us for this PSI seminar with guest speaker Dr. Michael Dowhyj. Corrosion and subsequent structural degradation is a significant and ubiquitous problem, and the cost due to corrosion (from both damage to structures and efforts to mitigate corrosion) has been estimated at 3.4% of the world’s GDP per year. A common means to mitigate corrosion processes involves employing chemical additives known as Corrosion Inhibitors (Cis), which slow down the overall rates of corrosion by adhering to metallic surfaces, without modifying the chemistry of bulk phases. The precise mechanisms by which Cis function however, remains largely unknown, and the selection process for identifying candidate Cis is predominantly through trial-and-error. Much work has been done towards elucidating the performance of adlayers of Cis, although the majority of spectroscopic studies of the precise chemistry have taken place in UHV, which are far removed from the conditions in which these molecules function. In this work, a novel interface-specific spectroscopic tool, Vibrational Sum-Frequency Spectroscopy (or VSFS), is employed in order to take this further. VSFS is based on a second-order nonlinear optical process (sum frequency generation), which, can only occur in media with an inherent dipole asymmetry. The practical upshot of this, results in VSFS being effectively blind to contributions from bulk phases (helpfully including corrosive fluids), helping us paint a realistic picture of the interfacial chemistry and geometry of adlayers of Cis, whilst they are functioning and inhibiting corrosion.
This event will be taking place online and furthers details about the event and how to join will be made available shortly.
Speaker
Dr. Michael Dowhyj
Organisation: University of Manchester
Biography: Michael is a graduate from the University of Manchester, graduating with an MPhys in physics in 2014, and a PhD in Materials for Demanding Environments in 2020, applying Vibrational Sum-Frequency Spectroscopy to thin films of corrosion inhibitors. Since then, she has done research into quantum data storage using Photon Echoes at the University of Salford, and helped design a new large scale Ti:Sapphire amplifier facility at the Central Laser Facility, before returning to the University of Manchester to continue research into corrosion inhibition with VSFS.
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This event will take place online
