Initial Modeling of Material Phase Driven Localized Corrosion

Localized corrosion often occurs when regions of a single material demonstrate a difference in electrochemical potential. Cathodic and anodic regions can develop in a component comprised of a single material. This variation is one cause of localized corrosion damage. This phenomenon of localized anode and cathode regions is well documented but not well understood. In this work the authors are examining variations in electrochemical response of individual grains within a metallic material. The objective is to determine if the distinct electrochemical response associated with austenite and ferrite phases in steel are sufficient to create a localized electrochemical corrosion cell. In this paper the authors present the first of a series of models that capture localized electrochemical corrosion driven by variations in grain polarization response.