Galvanic effects on electrochemical behaviors of bare surface of 304 stainless steel

The bare surface of 304 stainless steel is produced by the fast fracture method. The influence of the surface galvanic cell on the electrochemical behaviors of bare surface of 304 stainless steel has been investigated in H2SO4 solutions with different concentrations. The results show that the solution corrosivity level and the area ratio influence the surface galvanic effects caused by the inhomogeneity between the free-film surface of alloy and the passive surface. The surface galvanic effects can speed up the dissolution rate of the bare surface of the alloy and will change the electrochemical behavior of bare surface. With the increase of the area ratio between passive surface and fractured surface, the galvanic potential becomes more positive and, in the range of passive potential, both galvanic current and the peak fracture current increase evidently.