Inhibition of pitting corrosion of Pb in alkaline chlorate and perchlorate solutions by some inorganic anions

The potentiodynamic anodic polarization curves for the lead electrode were obtained in 0.1 mol L‐1 KOH solution in the absence and presence of C103‐ or C104‐ as aggressive ions at different concentrations. Lower concentrations of these ions have no significant influence on the passive film, while higher concentrations raise the active dissolution current density, and cause destruction of passivity and initiation of pitting corrosion. The critical pitting corrosion potential varies with the concentration of the aggressive ions according to sigmoidal curves. These curves were explained on the basis of the formation of passivitable, active and continuously propagagting pits depending on the range of the aggressive ion concentration. Additions of increasing concentrations of chromate, phosphate, sulphate and carbonate ions cause a shift of the critical pitting potential in the noble direction accounting for increase resistance to pitting attack (inhibition). The pitting corrosion potential varies with the concentration of the inhibitive ions, in the presence of a constant concentration of the aggressive ions, according to curves of sigmoidal shape. From these curves one can determine the minimum concentration of the inhibitive ions necessary for inhibition of pitting corrosion to occur.