IN SITU SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF ALUMINUM METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES

SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO IMAGE SURFACES IN A VACUUM, AIR, AND SOLUTION AT THE ATOMIC LEVEL. THE TECHNIQUE HAS ALSO BEEN APPLIED TO POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIALS, THE REGIONS NEAR GRAIN BOUNDARIES, ATOMIC DEFECTS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCALIZED SPECTROSCOPIES. THE LOCALIZED CORROSION OF ALUMINUM ALLOYS IN SEA WATER IS A WELL-STUDIED BUT STILL NOT UNDERSTOOD PROBLEM. THE LOCALIZED CORROSION OF ALUMINUM METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES (MMC) HAS BEEN STUDIED AND HAS SHOWN THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PITTING. THIS PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL BE AN ATTEMPT TO STUDY THE PITTING OF ALUMINUM MMC'S AT THE ATOMIC LEVEL WITH SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY.