Electrochemical behaviour of stainless steel in acidic fluoride media
Abstract The growth mechanism and electrochemical properties of an oxide film on AISI 304 grade stainless steel were studied in 0.01 and 0.1 mol L−1 fluoride solutions with different pH values (4.5, 5.5, 6.5) by means of electrochemical techniques. The anodic growth and stability of the oxide film on the stainless steel were characterized using cyclic voltammetry. Potentiodynamic analysis suggests that the oxide film growth occurs according to the high-field mechanism. Electric field strength, high-field growth exponential law constants, ionic conductivity through the film and half jump distance were determined. The electrochemical properties of the oxide film, formed spontaneously at the open circuit potential, were studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that the fluoride concentration has more considerable influence on the dissolution rate and the resistance of the oxide film than the pH.