Influence of piezoelectric effect on dissolving behavior and stability of ZnO micro/nanowires in solution

Abstract

We demonstrate for the first time the corrosion behavior of ZnO micro/nanowires under stress. The influence of the piezoelectric effect on the corrosion of ZnO micro/nanowires in acidic and alkaline environments was investigated. The two sides of the bent ZnO micro/nanowires have a significantly different corrosion rate while strain-free ZnO micro/nanowires remain the same. Corrosion behaviors of individually bent ZnO microwires (MWs) have been clearly observed under various strains estimated using the local curvature model. The corrosion phenomena of bent ZnO MWs in acidic and alkaline environments were different. The outer surface of the wire attracts free hydroxide ions and the inner one attracts hydrogen ions from the solution which promotes the chemical reaction due to the effect of the piezoelectric potential which is generated by strain. The experimental results indicated that the corrosion rate is quite sensitive to strain, which provides a recommendation for the design and evaluation of nanodevices that serve in extreme environments.