Stable corrosion potential

Corrosion Rate by CBD Somewhat similarly to the Tafel extrapolation method, the corrosion rate is found by intersecting the extrapolation of the linear poi tion of the second cathodic curve with the equihbrium stable corrosion potential. The intersection corrosion current is converted to a corrosion rate (mils penetration per year [mpy], 0.001 in/y) by use of a conversion factor (based upon Faraday s law, the electrochemical equivalent of the metal, its valence and gram atomic weight). For 13 alloys, this conversion factor ranges from 0.42 for nickel to 0.67 for Hastelloy B or C. For a qmck determination, 0.5 is used for most Fe, Cr, Ni, Mo, and Co alloy studies. Generally, the accuracy of the corrosion rate calculation is dependent upon the degree of linearity of the second cathodic curve when it is less than... 

The general form of the anodic polarisation curve of the stainless steels in acid solutions as determined potentiostaticaiiy or potentiodynamically is shown in Fig. 3.14, curve ABCDE. If the cathodic curve of the system PQ intersects this curve at P between B and C only, the steel is passive and the film should heal even if damaged. This, then, represents a condition in which the steel can be used with safety. If, however, the cathodic curve P Q also intersects ED the passivity is unstable and any break in the film would lead to rapid metal solution, since the potential is now in the active region and the intersection at Q gives the stable corrosion potential and corrosion current. 

FIGURE 15.12 Schematic Evans diagram illustrating the influence of the rate of the reduction reaction (dotted lines) on active-passive behavior of a metal (solid line). ,ed> reversible potential for the reduction reaction oi, 02, 03, increasing exchange current densities for the reduction reaction (m/m+)> reversible potential for the M/M couple corr(i) and corr(2) are stable corrosion potentials. Concentration polarization is assumed to be absent. 

Extended stabiUty testing is a necessity for emulsion systems in metal containers because of the corrosion potential of water. In most cases where a stable emulsion exists, there is less corrosion potential in a w/o system because the water is the internal phase. 

Fig. 1.40 Schematic anodic polarisation curve for a passivatable metal (solid line), shown together with three alternative cathodic reactions (broken line). Open-circuit corrosion potentials are determined by the intersection between the anodic and cathodic reaction rates. Cathode a intersects the anodic curve in the active region and the metal corrodes. Cathode b intersects at three possible points for which the metal may actively corrode or passivate, but passivity could be unstable. Only cathode c provides stable passivity. The lines a, b and c respectively could represent different cathodic reactions of increasing oxidizing power, or they could represent the same oxidizing agent at increasing concentration.

All of these three properties of the oxide films on metals are influenced by the anion composition and pH of the solution. In addition the potential of the metal will depend on the presence of oxidising agents in the solution. Inhibition of corrosion by anions thus requires an appropriate combination of anions, pH and oxidising agent in the solution so that the oxide film on the metal is stable (the potential then lying between the Flade potential and the breakdown potential), and protective (the corrosion current through the oxide being low). 

Three general reaction types compare the activation-control reduction processes. In Fig. 25-12, in Case I, the single reversible corrosion potential (anode/cathode intersection) is in the active region. A wide range of corrosion rates is possible. In Case 2, the cathodic curve intersects the anodic curve at three potentials, one active and two passive. If the middle active/passive intersection is not stable, the lower and upper... 

Environmental tests have been combined with conventional electrochemical measurements by Smallen et al. [131] and by Novotny and Staud [132], The first electrochemical tests on CoCr thin-film alloys were published by Wang et al. [133]. Kobayashi et al. [134] reported electrochemical data coupled with surface analysis of anodically oxidized amorphous CoX alloys, with X = Ta, Nb, Ti or Zr. Brusic et al. [125] presented potentiodynamic polarization curves obtained on electroless CoP and sputtered Co, CoNi, CoTi, and CoCr in distilled water. The results indicate that the thin-film alloys behave similarly to the bulk materials [133], The protective film is less than 5 nm thick [127] and rich in a passivating metal oxide, such as chromium oxide [133, 134], Such an oxide forms preferentially if the Cr content in the alloy is, depending on the author, above 10% [130], 14% [131], 16% [127], or 17% [133], It is thought to stabilize the non-passivating cobalt oxides [123], Once covered by stable oxide, the alloy surface shows much higher corrosion potential and lower corrosion rate than Co, i.e. it shows more noble behavior [125]. 

A different pattern of dissolution was seen with a Zn-Sn alloy containing 26% zinc. In this case the stable dissolution situation established after ca. 90 min showed a ratio of EC to CMT measurements of 1 4. As seen in Fig. 3, this remained fairly constant, though the corrosion potential increased by more than 50 mV. Only selective zinc dissolution took place, and analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy of the amount of dissolved zinc agreed within 10% with the value according to the titration. This pattern is still difficult to understand. The ratio of ca. 1 4 between EC and CMT measurements could be interpreted in terms of formation of the low-valent zinc species ZnJ, which seems unlikely, or in terms of dissolution of divalent zinc ions accompanied by loss of chunks consisting of precisely three zinc atoms, each time a zinc ion is dissolved. The latter alternative seems to require a more discrete mechanism of dissolution than... 

It can be seen that it was again difficult to obtain results from specimens where no stable rest potential could be measured. The harmonic currents in all cases were low and for certain specimens were of the same order as the distortion resulting from the input sine wave. The Tafel slopes obtained were in general anomalously high and the corrosion rates varied over several orders of magnitude. 

Ideally, a reference electrode should have a stable potential with respect to time. However, time stability requirements depend on the objective of the electrochemical measurement. For example, for long-term monitoring of the corrosion potential a time stable reference electrode is a must. Otherwise, it will be almost impossible to distinguish between drift in reference electrode potential and drift in corrosion state. 

In addition to the metal itself, metallic corrosion is largely influenced by two key environmental parameters redox potential and pH. These will determine whether the metal ions form and, if they do form, whether they remain in solution and are dissipated away from the metal surface or form stable corrosion films over the surface. Where the ions do not form is termed immunity. Where ions dissipate and the metal continues to corrode is termed corrosion. Where stable films are formed, preventing further corrosion, is termed passivation. 

Figure 26 Corrosion potential vs. time for Type 410 stainless steel in 0.5 M NaCl + 0.01 M H202. The breakdown potential is indicated by the dotted line. Once this potential is exceeded, the potential falls as stable, localized corrosion begins to propagate.

Overall, these results indicate that chromates inhibit corrosion by elevating the pitting potential on aluminum with respect to the corrosion potential, which decreases the probability for the formation of stable pits. In general a chromate chloride concentration ratio in excess of 0.1 is necessary to observe significant anodic inhibition. 

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