| Abstract: | AbstractIn the present study an assessment has been made of the air formed passive film and the passive film existing after a short exposure to a synthetic sea water environment on austenitic (UNS S31603), superaustenitic (UNS S31254 and UNS S32654) and superduplex (UNS S32760) stainless steels and a Ni base alloy (UNS N06625) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Assessment of their corrosion behaviour has been made through use of electrochemical accelerated tests supported by post-test microscopy. The passive film on the Ni base (low Fe) UNS N06625 alloy is remarkably similar to those formed on the high Cr and Mo stainless steels. It has been demonstrated that the Fe/Cr ratio in the passive film is dependent on alloy composition and on the conditions to which the material has been exposed, and a general correlation between passive film constitution and corrosion resistance is evident. |
