Dr Michele Curioni

I graduated in 2003 from Politecnico di Milano (Italy) and subsequently I obtained a M.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering from the same university. I joined the Corrosion and Protection Centre as a PhD student in 2006 and completed my PhD on "Graded Anodic Film Morphologies for Corrosion Protection of Aerospace Aluminium Alloys" in 2009, under the supervision of Prof. G.E. Thompson. After completion of the PhD, I continued my research on corrosion and protection of light alloys as a Research Associate. In 2011 I was appointed LATEST2 Research Fellow.

My research mainly focuses on understanding corrosion of light alloys to develop new protection treatments. I have developed a new family of low-energy, environmentally friendly, anodizing cycles for corrosion protection of aerospace alloys, with a graded porous morphology that optimize simultaneously paint adhesion and corrosion resistance. I apply and develops electrochemical techniques to understand in detail the process of corrosion initiation and propagation in relation to the alloy microstructure, the presence of micro and macro-galvanic couples, the characteristics of the aggressive environment and the presence of corrosion inhibitors. I also work on improving the available characterization techniques and am interested in high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and 3-D imaging techniques such as X-ray tomography and sequential sectioning.

• Development and validation of low-energy anodizing cycles for corrosion protection of aerospace alloys
• Investigation of the effects related to galvanic coupling of dissimilar metals and of metal to carbon composites
• Assessment of weld quality by electrochemical techniques
• Elucidation of the relationship between microstructure and corrosion initiation and propagation by use of high resolution 3-D imaging techniques
• Application of electrochemical noise analysis to multiple and dissimilar electrodes

• Corrosion of dissimilar alloys: Electrochemical noise, M. Curioni, R.A. Cottis, M. Di Natale and G.E.Thompson, in press, Electrochimica Acta.
• Anodic film formation on AA 2099-T8 aluminum alloy in tartaric-sulfuric acid, Y. Ma, X. Zhou, G.E. Thompson, M. Curioni, T. Hashimoto, P. Skeldon, P. Thomson and M. Fowles, Journal of Electrochemical Society, 158, C17 (2011).
• Influence of applied potential on titanium oxide nanotube growth, A. Valota, M. Curioni, D.J. Leclere, P. Skeldon, P. Falaras and G.E. Thompson, Journal of Electrochemical Society, 157 K243 (2010).
• Flow Modulated Ionic Migration During Porous Oxide Growth on Aluminium, M. Curioni, E.V. Koroleva, P. Skeldon and G.E. Thompson, Electrochimica Acta 55, 23, 704, ( 2010).
• Electrochemical Techniques for Practical Evaluation of Corrosion Inhibitor Effectiveness. Performance of Cerium Nitrate as Corrosion Inhibitor for AA2024T3 Alloy, N.C. Rosero-Navarro, M. Curioni, R. Bingham, A. Durán, M. Aparicio, R. A. Cottis, G.E. Thompson, Corrosion Science, 52,10, 3356 (2010).
• The Behaviour of Second Phase Particles During Anodizing of Aluminium Alloys, M. Saenz de Miera, M. Curioni, P. Skeldon, G.E. Thompson, Corrosion Science, 52, 7, 2489 (2010).
• Influence of Molybdate Species on TSA Anodized AA2024 T3 Aerospace Alloy M. García-Rubio, P. Ocón, A. Climent-Font, R. W. Smith, M. Curioni, G.E. Thompson, P. Skeldon , A. Lavía, I. García, Corrosion Science, 51,9, 2034 (2009).
• Influence of Water Content on Nanotubular Anodic Titania Formed in Fluoride/Glycerol Electrolytes, A. Valota, D.J. LeClere, P. Skeldon, M. Curioni, T. Hashimoto, S. Berger, J. Kunze, P. Schmuki, G.E. Thompson, Electrochimica Acta, 54, 18, 4321 (2009).
• Macroscopic and Local Filming Behaviour of AA2024 T3 Aluminium Alloy During Anodizing in Sulphuric Acid Electrolyte, M. Curioni, M. Saenz de Miera, P. Skeldon, G. E. Thompson and J. Ferguson, Journal of Electrochemical Society, 155, C387(2008).
• Graded Anodic Film Morphologies for Sustainable Exploitation of Aluminium Alloys in Aerospace, M. Curioni, P. Skeldon, G.E. Thompson and J. Ferguson, Advanced Materials Research, 38 48 (2008).