NEW ASPECTS OF THE GALVANOKINETIC POLARIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR PITTING CORROSION STUDIES

The galvanokinetic (GK) polarization technique was used to study pitting corrosion of 316L stainless steel in chloride solution pH = 8. The effect of the GK scan rate V(g) on different pitting characteristics such as the critical pitting potential E(cp), the stable potential after the start of pitting E(s), the corresponding charges Q(c) and Q(s) and the protection potential against the propagation of pitting E(prot) were determined. Theoretical relations specific to the GK method, between the cur-rent densities J(c), J(s), the charges Q(c), Q(s), the critical time tc and the scan rate V(g) were established. These relations are in very good agreement with the experimental data.