The objective of the research is the detailed understanding of corrosion processes in refractory metals, light alloys and high temperature alloys. Three particular materials are proposed for investigation, typical of these three important classes of materials. The approach taken is that of detailed microstructural analysis of the chemistry and microstructure of the corrosion products, and of the near surface region of the material, using sophisticated methods of TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and AEM (analytical electron microscopy), combined with methods which permit precise tracking of the rates of corrosion in the metals. Both the research and the development of analytical tools required for the research will be of significant benefit to both science and technology, since corrosion of these materials is typically one of the limiting factors in their lifetime in service, and in their range of application. Corrosion processes tend to be complicated and path-dependent, and post-hoc analysis typically gives little information about the details of the corrosion process. The work would conversely make a significant contribution to understanding the details of the corrosion process, and thereby lead to improved materials.
