INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CORROSION CONTROL: INSIGHTS FROM ELECTROCHEMICAL METHODS AND POLYMER COATINGS

Corrosion, the deterioration of materials due to chemical or electrochemical reactions with their environment, remains a significant challenge across industries. Driven by the thermodynamic tendency of metals to revert to their lower-energy oxide states, corrosion incurs substantial economic costs and impacts infrastructure, safety, and operational efficiency. While corrosion cannot be entirely prevented, its rate can be effectively managed using various techniques. Electrochemical methods have emerged as indispensable tools for investigating corrosion mechanisms and assessing material susceptibility. This study provides a comprehensive overview of widely employed electrochemical techniques, including linear polarization resistance , electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization. These methods enable rapid and accurate evaluations of corrosion rates and mechanisms for different metals and alloys, offering insights that are critical for both laboratory research and field monitoring. Furthermore, the application of electroactive polymers, particularly polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PANI), in corrosion protection is reviewed. These polymers exhibit remarkable potential for forming protective coatings, which inhibit corrosion through mechanisms such as barrier formation, passivation, and self-healing properties. The integration of these electroactive materials with electrochemical monitoring techniques offers a promising pathway for enhancing the durability and sustainability of materials exposed to corrosive environments.