David C. Silverman

Corrosion prediction in complex environments using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Rapid corrosion estimation in poorly defined, complex environments is required for making appropriate materials related decisions in the process industries. One problem is that the chemistry of these systems is often impossible to characterize. Using corrosion screening in process waste as an example, this paper examines how electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) can contribute to screening metal corrosion in these types of environments. Lack of characterization forces the careful use of circuit analogues to model the results. Good agreement between corrosion rates estimated by EIS, dc polarization and short term mass loss is used to provide confidence that the circuit models invoked to classify the spectra are reasonable.