Novel Electrochemical-Emission Spectroscopy of Metals by White Light Interferometry

Abstract

A white light, i.e., Fabry-Perot, interferometry was unprecedently applied to determine the rate change of the current density (J) of aluminum samples during the anodization processes of the samples in aqueous solutions. The current density(J) values were obtained by Fabry-Perot interferometry rather than the direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC), methods. Therefore, the abrupt rate change of the J was called electrochemical-emission spectroscopy. The anodization of the aluminum samples was conducted by an external DC source in 0.0,2,4,6,8,10% sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solutions at room temperature. In the meantime, the Fabry-Perot interferometry was used to determine the difference between the J of two subsequent values, dJ, as a function of the elapsed time of the DC experiment for the aluminum samples in 0.0,2,4,6,8,10% H2SO4 solutions. The Fabry-Perot interferometry was based on a fiber-optic sensor in order to make real time-white light interferometry possible at the aluminum surfaces in the sulfuric acid solutions. As a result, a new spectrometer was developed based on the combination of the Fabry-Perot, i.e., white light, interferometry and DC method for studying in situ the electrochemical behavior of metals in aqueous solutions.