Annually, the impacts of corroding materials cost the global economy over $1 trillion. Some alloys are exposed to extreme temperatures and stress, causing the formation of an oxide film, which in turn accelerates the breakdown of the alloys.
The exact reasons that make these high-stress and high-temperature conditions so favorable for corrosion are unclear, particularly in microelectromechanical devices. Chinese researchers have begun to work toward understanding the causes for corrosion of materials under mechanical stress. They have reported their study in the Journal of Applied Physics, from AIP Publishing.
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