The Potentiostatic Technique for Corrosion Studies

Abstract One of the most widely used electrochemical corrosion testing methods is the constant potential, or "potentiostatic," technique. This paper is designed as an introduction to potentiostatic testing. It first presents the rationale behind potentiostatic testing, and then describes the considerations for conducting simple potentiostatic tests and analyzing the data. Next the distinctions between potentiostatic and other "constant" potential or current test methods are explained. Finally, a variety of common applications of potentiostatic testing to prediction or evaluation of corrosion processes is presented.