Electrochemical concepts and techniques in the study of stainless steel ennoblement.

Electrochemical theory and technique used to investigate microbially influenced corrosion is discussed with a focus on methods used to demonstrate the manganic-oxide mechanism of stainless steel Ennoblement. The concept of mixed potential and its relationship to the current-voltage behavior of stainless steel is developed. This concept is used to interpret microbially induced changes in corrosion potential, polarization behavior, surface-oxide abundance, and the redox environment at submerged metal surfaces. Microelectrode, capacitance, and coulometric methods are described that can be used to discriminate electrochemical effects caused by changes in solution properties from those caused by mineral deposition at the metal surface. The variety of electrochemical, wet-chemical, microbiological, and surface analytical techniques used to demonstrate the effect of biomineralized manganese dioxide on the electrochemical behavior of stainless steel are summarized.