Impedance investigation of the anodic iron dissolution in perchloric acid solution

Abstract The anodic iron dissolution in 0.5 mol dm −3 perchloric acid (HClO 4 ) was investigated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the potentiodynamic sweep and the scanning electron microscopy measurements. The anodic polarization behavior of iron in HClO 4 solution showed that the strong current oscillations occurred in a narrow potential region, particularly the pitting corrosion was observed in the active dissolution region. These characteristics were quite different from those of iron in the sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ). At the potentials 82 and 132 mV more positive than the corrosion potential (−482 mV vs. SCE), the impedance spectra for the iron in HClO 4 displayed two inductive arcs; however, by gradually increasing potential the lower frequency inductive arc disappeared at −300 mV at first, and then the higher frequency inductive arc changed into a capacitive arc at −250 mV. Based on the impedance display of iron at various potentials, a reaction model involving two adsorbed intermediate species was proposed, in terms of which the impedance behavior at different potentials were described. Occurrence of the pitting corrosion in active dissolution region was explained.