Nanoscale surface properties of iron treated by electrochemical and physico-chemical methods

The nanoscale surface structure of surface oxide films formed on pure iron treated by UV irradiation at 3 mW/cm2 and electrochemical passivation at an applied potential of 800 mV vs. Ag/AgCl in a borate buffer solution have been observed with scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. UV irradiation of the air-formed film decreased the film thickness, surface roughness and surface area. UV irradiation of electrochemically passivated surfaces increased the film thickness and the terrace width of the oxide film.