Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study of high-palladium dental alloys. Part II: behavior at active and passive potentials.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) analyses were performed on three high-palladium alloys and a gold-palladium alloy at active and passive potentials in five electrolytes that simulated body fluid and oral environmental conditions. All four alloys were previously found to have excellent corrosion resistance in these in vitro environments. Before performing the EIS analyses, alloy specimens were subjected to a clinically relevant heat treatment that simulated the firing cycles for a dental porcelain. It was found that the EIS spectra varied with test potential and electrolyte. Diffusional effects, related to the dealloying and subsequent surface enrichment in palladium of the high-palladium alloys, along with species adsorption and passivation, were revealed at both active and passive potentials, although these effects were more evident at the passive potentials.