Zinc and many zinc alloys are used widely as metallic coatings in the corrosion protection of iron and steel. These systems exhibit passive behavior in alkaline solutions due to the formation of a zinc oxide/hydroxide passive film. 1,2 This passive layer possesses some properties similar to that of the nonstoichiometric ZnO, [3][4][5][6] which is an n-type semiconductor with a large optical bandgap energy of approximately 3.2 eV. 7,8 This nonstoichiometric ZnO is well known as a photoelectrochemical electrode. On illumination of the anodically biased ZnO with sufficiently energetic photons, electrons are promoted from the valence to the conduction band generating electron-hole pairs. The holes are transported to the film-solution interface where they undergo an electrochemical reaction, either oxidizing suitable chemical species added to the electrolyte, or causing photodissolution of ZnO. 9-11 Indeed, this photoinduced dissolution of ZnO can be used for micropattern processing. 12,13 However, the influence of illumination on the passive and corrosion behavior of pure zinc or zinc-rich electrodes or coatings is less well documented, with only a few reports appearing in the literature. For example, Juzeliunas et al. 14 reported an increase in the corrosion rate of zinc in a 5% NaCl solution on illumination at 488 nm. This increase in the corrosion rate was associated with a light-induced increase in the rate of the oxygen reduction reaction, but no changes in the anodic polarization behavior were observed. Spathis and Poulios 15 observed the photocorrosion of zinc and zinc oxide coatings in a 3.5 % NaCl solution on illumination with white light.In this communication the results of an investigation into the influence of ultraviolet (UV) illumination on the passive behavior of Zn in alkaline and slightly alkaline solutions are presented.
ExperimentalTest electrodes were prepared from high purity zinc rods (99.999 ϩ %). Electrical contact with the zinc rod samples was achieved by means of a copper wire threaded into the base of the metal sample. This entire unit was then sealed in a Teflon holder, and the exposed surface of the zinc rod was set with epoxy resin in the Teflon sleeve. Prior to each test the samples were polished with successively finer grades of SiC paper to a smooth surface finish and rinsed with distilled water. In the case of the Mott-Schottky experiments the electrodes were polished to a mirror finish using alumina powder. The electrochemical cell was made of Teflon with a quartz window in the base to allow irradiation of the test electrodes. Highdensity graphite rods were used as the auxiliary electrodes and a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) was used as the reference electrode. All potentials quoted are relative to this electrode. The electrolytes were prepared using analytical grade reagents and distilled water.The electrolytes used were an alkaline pH 13.0 borate solution (0.1 mol dm Ϫ3 NaOH/ 0.025 mol dm Ϫ3 Na 2 B 4 O 7 ) and a slightly alkaline, pH 10.3 (0.042 mol dm Ϫ3 NaOH/0.025 mol dm Ϫ3...