Anodic protection history

Unlike the anode-targeted additives discussed in the preceding part, the additives intended for cathode protection have a much longer history than lithium ion technology itself and were originally developed for rechargeable cells based on lithium metal anodes and various 3.0 V class cathode materials. 

Passivity has been known for several hundred years. Uhlig mentioned in his review on passivity that Lomonosov was the first in 1738 to detect that iron does not dissolve in concentrated nitric acid [3]. Ostwald described in his history of electrochemistry [4] that Keir observed in 1790 the passivity of iron again in concentrated nitric acid [5]. Similar observations were made in 1782 by Wenzel according to citations of Gmelin [6. In 1807, Hiesinger and Berzelius found that one could achieve passivity by anodic polarization [6], which was confirmed by Schonbein for iron in diluted nitric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acids [7], In their correspondence, Schonbein and Faraday discussed the nature of these observations and Faraday came to the conclusion that a thin film provides protection to the metal. He postulated its electronic conductivity based on his own experiments [8]. 

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