Using Cyclic Voltammetry for Studying Corrosion Mechanisms

Abstract Corrosion is a significant challenge across various industries, resulting in economic losses and safety concerns. Traditional methods for assessing corrosion often yield limited mechanistic insights, which can impede the development of effective mitigation strategies. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), a well-established electrochemical technique, holds promise for providing a detailed understanding of corrosion mechanisms, although its full potential in this area is not yet fully realized. CV involves the sweeping of an electrode's potential within a specified range, enabling the observation of current responses that reveal oxidation and reduction processes on metal surfaces. This paper reviews the existing literature on the use of cyclic voltammetry (CV) in corrosion studies, with a focus on the theoretical basis of the technique and its relevance to corrosion science. Additionally, this paper presents experimental investigations on the effect of various parameters on CV outcomes. These experimental findings provide a comprehensive understanding of how different factors influence the CV technique and its application in corrosion studies.