TC11 alloy is a promising structural material, and has a wide range of applications in many corrosive and high temperature hydrothermal systems. The passive film has an important influence on its electrochemical behavior. In this study, in-situ electrochemical methods (that is, open circuit potential (OCP), linear polarization (LP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)) were used to monitor the long period electrochemical behavior of TC11 alloy in 0.01 M Na2SO4 solution at 300 °C/10 MPa. The growth kinetics of the passive film was mainly studied. The correlation between the evolution of the electrochemical behavior and the growth of the oxide film was discussed. The results showed that although the OCP gradually stabilized after twenty thousand seconds, henceforth the polarization resistance (Rp) was still increasing due to the thickening of the passive film. An equivalent circuit was proposed to fit the EIS experimental data, leading to determination of film capacitance and film resistance. Besides, the electrochemical data was interpreted in terms of the point defect model (PDM). The EIS results are consistent with the Rp results.
THE GROWTH OF A PASSIVE FILM ON STEEL STUDIED WITH IN-SITU AFM