The influence of UV illumination on passivity and pitting susceptibility on X70 pipoeline steel in a borate buffer （pH=8.4 ） solution containing NaCl is described. It is observed that illumination of the sample leads to a decrease in its pitting susceptibility as indicated by pitting potential and incubation time measurements in chloride containing electrolytes. This effect is strongly dependent on the applied potential during passivation. The electronic properties of the passive films on X70 steel were studied by Mott-Schottky analysis and photocurrent transient measurements. The results indicated that illumination during passivation led to modifications in the electronic properties of the passive films, mainly to a decrease of the bulk doping and an increase in the surface state density. The cause for the decrease in the pitting susceptibility is preliminary explained in terms of such modifications of the passive flm.
A newfangled direct electrochemistry behavior of Cytochrome c (Cyt c) was found on glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified with the silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles by physical adsorption. A pair of stable and well-defined redox peaks of Cyt c′ quasi-reversible electrochemical reaction were obtained with a heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant of 1.66×10-3 cm/s and a formal potential of 0.069 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) (0.263 V versus NHE) in 0.1 mol/L pH 6.8 PBS. Both the size and the amount of SiO2 nanoparticles could influence the electron transfer between Cyt c and the electrode. Electrostatic interaction which is between the negative nanoparticle surface and positively charged amino acid residues on the Cyt c surface is of importance for the stability and reproducibility toward the direct electron transfer of Cyt c. It is suggested that the modification of SiO2 nanoparticles proposes a novel approach to realize the direct electrochemistry of proteins.
