Reliable Corrosion Measurements via Electrochemistry

Photo courtesy of Metrohm.

Corrosion is a natural process that results in the gradual destruction of metals through a chemical reaction with their environment. The World Corrosion Organization estimates that the total annual cost of corrosion can be as high as 3 –3.5 % of a country’s GDP. This unavoidable deterioration of material is a costly problem and billions of dollars are spent each year to control, monitor and prevent corrosion processes.

Over the past three decades, several methods have been introduced to measure and monitor corrosion. While many of these traditional methods, such as weight loss or spray test analysis, are quick and cost-effective, they can only offer a qualitative overview of the process. In comparison, electrochemistry techniques are accurate, reproducible and often the only method to measure corrosion rates on a quantitative basis. Electrochemistry has not only made it easy and direct to measure the parameters governing the corrosion processes but has also helped greatly in the overall development of the novel corrosion resistant films and corrosion inhibitors. Depending on the nature of the application, different electrochemical techniques are needed to determine specific parameters of interest. Metrohm offers fully customized corrosion analyzers to evaluate corrosion parameters for specific ASTM methods.

Common applications include:

• Corrosion Parameters by Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) Measurements

• Corrosion Parameters by Electrochemical Noise Analysis (ECN)

• Critical Pitting Test Analysis (CPT)

• Hydrogen Permeation Test Analysis (HPT)

• Corrosion Parameters by Electrochemical Impedance Measurements (EIS)

For more information, contact: Metrohm, +1 (866) METROHM, corrosion.metrohmusa.com.