TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the effect of grain‐size reduction on the stability of passive films formed on pure iron. Possible mechanisms capable of their improvement are discussed.Design/methodology/approach– Nanocrystalline iron was produced by pulse electrodeposition using a citric acid bath. The grain size of the nanocrystalline surface was analyzed by X‐ray diffractometry and atomic force microscopy. The tests were carried out in 95‐97 percent H2SO4 aqueous solution. The stability of the passive films was investigated using Tafel polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.Findings– The corrosion resistance of Fe in concentrated sulfuric acid solution increased as the grain size decreased from microcrystalline to nanocrystalline. The decreased passive current density of nanocrystalline Fe may be due to the more rapid formation of continuous passive films at surface crystalline defects, compared with coarse‐grained Fe structures.Originality/value– The behavior of passive film growth and corrosion is considered in terms of excess free energy caused by the nanocrystalline surface.
VL  - 57
IS  - 3
SN  - 0003-5599
DO  - 10.1108/00035591011040100
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/00035591011040100
AU  - Afshari Vahid
AU  - Dehghanian Changiz
PY  - 2010
Y1  - 2010/01/01
TI  - Electrochemical polarization and passivation of nanostructured iron in acid solution
T2  - Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 142
EP  - 147
Y2  - 2024/04/20
ER  -