Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of protective coatings

Abstract Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) carried out over a wide frequency range (10 5 to 10 −2 Hz) allows us to obtain mechanistic information concerning corrosion protection by coatings. Examples are given for polymer coatings on an Al alloy as a function of surface petreatment and for anodized Al alloys. For polymer coatings on metals, information concerning the coating's properties and its changes with exposure time can be obtained from the high and medium frequency regions of the impedance spectrum, while the corrosion reaction at the metal/coating interface can be evaluated from the low frequency part. The pore resistance of the coating and its changes with exposure time have been used to rank different pretreatment procedures for a given metal/coating combination. For Al alloys, pronounced differences in corrosion resistance between a conversion coating and an anodized layer under a polyurethane coating have been observed. The use of a segmented electrode allows measurements of the impedance across as well as under a coating. From these data, information concerning delamination can be obtained. An example is given for an epoxy coating on steel. The use of EIS as a quality control and corrosion test for anodized Al alloys is discussed. The effects of the anodization procedure (sulfuric acid and chromic acid), sealing procedure (hot water and dichromate) and alloy chemistry (Al 2024, 6061 and 7075) have been studied during exposure to aerated 0.5 N NaCl. All these parameters play an important role in the corrosion resistance of the alloys. The sealing process can be evaluated from the high frequency part of the spectrum. Pronounced differences in the spectra for the two sealing procedures are observed. The corrosion behavior is reflected in the low frequency part, which is essentially dominated by barrier layer properties.