Effect of Different Degrees of Sensitization on the EIS Response of 316L and 316 SS in Transpassive Region

Different heat treatments were conducted on 316L and 316 stainless steels, and the sensitized specimens were characterized using anodic polarization and EIS tests in 0.5 M H2SO4 containing 0.01 molar KSCN. The potential ranges related to the transpassive region related to each specimen were determined. The EIS experiments were conducted at different potentials in that region, and the results showed the presence of three different regions, namely the anodic dissolution of the passive layer, dissolution of the grain boundaries, and the occurrence of pitting corrosion owing to the variations in the anodic potential. The higher the applied sensitization temperature, the lower the obtained charge-transfer resistance (R (ct)) values, but healing effect was observed at the temperatures above 600 A degrees C for these alloys.