Application of scanning electrochemical microscope in the study of corrosion of metals

Scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) has become a very useful and powerful technique for probing a variety of electrochemical reactions in corrosion process due to its high spatial resolution and electrochemical sensitivity to characterize the topography and redox activities of the metal/electrolyte solution interface. Its capability for the direct identification of chemical species in localized corrosion processes with high spatial resolution would be more advantageous compared to other local probe techniques with only morphological characterization. In this review, the applications of the SECM in the study of early stages of localized corrosion, electroactive defect sites in passive films, local initiation of pits, degradation of coating properties on steels, and some combined methods through SECM integrated with other techniques have been summarized and commented. Finally, the optimization for SECM’s experiment design and operation as well as foreseeable application range has been proposed.