Erasmus+ traineeship at Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
Published: 10. jul. 2023
I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to participate in a short, two-week doctoral visit at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, made possible through the ERASMUS+ program. I worked at the Electrochemistry and Big Data Department under the supervision of Dr. Sviatlana Lamaka.
During my visit, I gained valuable knowledge from Dr. Lamaka's lab, particularly in the field of local electrochemical measurements. This involved measuring local pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations on different metal substrates. This experience not only provided me with a solid theoretical foundation in local electrochemical measurements but also honed my skills in result interpretation, with a focus on the stability of oxide formation on various metal substrates.
The primary objective of my visit was to foster knowledge exchange regarding zirconium conversion coatings (ZrCCs). Interestingly, we discovered that we encountered similar challenges in the electrochemical testing of ZrCCs and Zr solution chemistry.
Moreover, utilizing local electrochemical measurements enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanism behind ZrCC formation, which had not been explored at the local level before, despite its localized nature. The results we obtained were both intriguing and significantly contributed to our understanding of coating formation, unveiling unexpected phenomena in the process.
Ana Kraš, Nanoznanosti in nanotehnologije
