Study on pitting process of 316L stainless steel by means of staircase potential electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Pitting corrosion of 316L stainless steel in NaCl solution was investigated by means of staircase potential electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (SPEIS). The investigation focused on the transition of stainless steel from the passive state to pitting corrosion. Based on the evolution of electrical parameters of the equivalent electrical circuit, it is suggested that the most probable mechanism of pit creation is the film breaking model. The result demonstrates that staircase potential electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is an effective method for the investigation of pitting corrosion.