Origins of Persistent Interactions among Localized Corrosion Sites

It is often believed that pitting events are stochastic without any spatial or temporal effect on each other. However, as pits begin to form, the local environment changes [1]. Solution concentration and potential gradients develop that can affect pitting susceptibility on adjacent surfaces. These factors can also affect nearby oxide film and non-metallic inclusions to produce more permanent interactions. Taking into account these local changes, pitting can have a significant influence on the susceptibility of adjacent surfaces to localized corrosion. However, the time constant associated with each of these interactive processes differs [2-4]. Moreover, the origin or cause of persistent pit interactions is unknown. The goal of this study is to identify the source of persistent interactions.