Corrosion monitoring method of 304 stainless steel in a simulated marine–industrial atmospheric environment: electrochemical noise method

Purpose This paper aims to study the use of electrochemical noise (EN) technology in the corrosion continuous monitoring of stainless steel (SS) in an atmospheric environment. Design/methodology/approach An EN electrode was designed and fabricated to acquire the EN of 304 SS in the atmospheric environment. The statistical analysis and shot noise analysis were used to analyze the EN, and the surface morphology analysis of 304 SS was used to verify the EN analysis results. Findings The activation state, passive film formation and pitting corrosion of 304 SS can be clearly distinguished by the amplitude and frequency change of EN. The metastable pitting corrosion and steady-state pitting corrosion can be identified with the shot noise parameters q and fn. Under the existence of chloride ion, the stability of 304 SS passive film decreases and the steady-state corrosion pits of 304 SS are more likely to form with the reduction of thin electronic layer (TEL) pH. The critical TEL pH of 304 SS corrosion is a pH between 3 and 4. Originality/value In an atmospheric environment, the EN technology was used in the corrosion continuous monitoring of SS.