Quantitative Assessment of Corrosion Kinetics of Single Silver Nanowires Induced by No₂ Molecules Using Resonant Cantilevers

For the first time, the corrosion kinetics of nano-metals were deeply examined using resonant cantilevers in combination with in situ monitoring through synchronous Raman spectroscopy. This innovative approach enables accurate measurement of the activation energy <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$(\mathrm{E}_{\mathrm{a}})$</tex> of single silver nanowires (Ag NWs) with the assistance of ultra-sensitive microcantilevers. The Raman spectra provided real-time insights into the compositional changes of products during the corrosion process. We further proposed a new method to enhance the anti-corrosion property of Ag NWs by applying self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiols as a protective coating. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the SAMs in anti-corrosion on Ag NWs was successfully demonstrated in a <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{NO}_2$</tex> atmosphere.