The effect of an electric field on a graphite coating deposited on an aluminum plate was studied experimentally. The experiments were made under electrolysis conditions, and ordinary water was used as the electrolyte. Samples of aluminum plates with graphite coatings served as the cathode and anode. The electrodes were tested under the influence of electric pulses with a sharp front. After exposure to the electric field for 72 hours, changes in the integrity of the cathode coating were observed. No changes were detected on the surface coating of the anode. Using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis system, the chemical composition of the cathode surface coating was analyzed before and after the electric pulses’ influence on the electrolyzer. A significant degradation of the graphite coating structure on the aluminum plate was recorded as a result of the electric field exposure. A possible physical mechanism of carbon transformation on the graphite coating of the aluminum plate under the application of a negative electric field is presented.
Balasanyan et al. (Mon,) studied this question.