Active-passive oxidation

The above relationship is equally applicable if either the metal oxidation-rate curve or the reduction-rate curve for the cathodic reactant does not obey Tafel behavior. To illustrate this point, three additional schematic pairs of individual anodic and cathodic polarization curves are examined. In Fig. 6.3, the metal undergoes active-passive oxidation behavior and Ecorr is in the passive region. In Fig. 6.4, where the total re-... 

Goto, T. and H. Homma, High-temperature active/passive oxidation and bubble formation of CVD SiC... 

At high temperature, siUcon carbide exhibits either active or passive oxidation behavior depending on the ambient oxygen potential (65,66). When the partial pressure of oxygen is high, passive oxidation occurs and a protective layer of Si02 is formed on the surface. 

A fresh surface of siUcon carbide is thus constantiy being exposed to the oxidizing atmosphere. Active oxidation takes place at and below approximately 30 Pa (0.23 mm Hg) oxygen pressure at 1400°C (66). Passive oxidation is determined primarily by the nature and concentration of impurities (67). 

Spontaneous Passivation The anodic nose of the first curve describes the primary passive potential Epp and critical anodic current density (the transition from active to passive corrosion), if the initial active/passive transition is 10 lA/cm or less, the alloy will spontaneously passivate in the presence of oxygen or any strong oxidizing agent. 

Figure 4-421. Corrosion characteristics of an active passive metal as a function of solution oxidizing power (eiectrode potential). (From Ref. [183].)...

Electroplating passive alloys Another application of strike baths reverses the case illustrated in the previous example. The strike is used to promote a small amount of cathode corrosion. When the passivation potential of a substrate lies below the cathode potential of a plating bath, deposition occurs onto the passive oxide film, and the coating is non-adherent. Stainless steel plated with nickel in normal baths retains its passive film and the coating is easily peeled off. A special strike bath is used with a low concentration of nickel and a high current density, so that diffusion polarisation (transport overpotential) depresses the potential into the active region. The bath has a much lower pH than normal. The low pH raises the substrate passivation potential E pa, which theoretically follows a relation... 

Thus inhibitive anions can retard the dissolution of both the T-FejO, and the magnetite layers of the passivating oxide layer on iron. This has the dual effect of preventing breakdown of an existing oxide film and also of facilitating the formation of a passivating oxide film on an active iron surface, as discussed in the previous section. 

Figure 4. Schematic diagram of active, passive, transpassive, and polishing states. M2+ (aq), dissolved metal ion MO, metal oxide or hydroxide M, metal atom.

In the active state, the dissolution of metals proceeds through the anodic transfer of metal ions across the compact electric double layer at the interface between the bare metal and the aqueous solution. In the passive state, the formation of a thin passive oxide film causes the interfadal structure to change from a simple metal/solution interface to a three-phase structure composed of the metal/fUm interface, a thin film layer, and the film/solution interface [Sato, 1976, 1990]. The rate of metal dissolution in the passive state, then, is controlled by the transfer rate of metal ions across the film/solution interface (the dissolution rate of a passive semiconductor oxide film) this rate is a function of the potential across the film/solution interface. Since the potential across the film/solution interface is constant in the stationary state of the passive oxide film (in the state of band edge level pinning), the rate of the film dissolution is independent of the electrode potential in the range of potential of the passive state. In the transpassive state, however, the potential across the film/solution interface becomes dependent on the electrode potential (in the state of Fermi level pinning), and the dissolution of the thin transpassive film depends on the electrode potential as described in Sec. 11.4.2. 

The third aspect to consider is the electrochemical stability of the material used. For the oxygen reduction reaction, the electrode potential is highly anodic and at this potential, most metals dissolve actively in acid media or form passive oxide films that will Inhibit this reaction. The oxide forming metals can form non-conducting or semi-conducting oxide films of variable thickness. In alkaline solutions, the range of metals that can be used is broader and can include non-precious or semi-precious metals (Ni, Ag). 

J. Colloid Interface Sci. 127 116-131 Foley, C.L. Kruger, J. Bechtoldt, C.J. (1967) Diffraction studies of active, passive and transpassive oxide films formed on iron. 

One can distinguish between active and passive oxidation. During active oxidation the oxidation products are immediately removed from the surface, causing weight loss, whereas during passive oxidation a weight gain takes place, because oxide layers formed. 

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