Atom probe tomography (APT) analysis of zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanofilms with potential use in a variety of environmental, optoelectronic, chemical, and energy technologies reveals, after exposure to ambient air, reveals the presence of dendritic iron oxide features that extend from a surface oxide overlayer into the ZVI bulk. The dendrites are observed by APT to be in the 5 nm x 10 nm size range, form quickly under natural atmospheric conditions, and their growth into the films is, within the limit of our three-month long study, self-limiting (i.e. their initial growth appears to quickly discontinue). Possible roles of the newly identified oxidized iron dendrites are discussed in the context of passivation processes limiting applications of Fe(0). The atomistic views presented here also shed first light on the atmospheric corrosion process of Fe(0)-bearing engineered materials and their surfaces in the limit of low bulk impurities.

Dendritic oxide growth in zero-valent iron nanofilms revealed by atom probe tomography

2019 Spring National Meeting

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