Technical Note: Use of Pourbaix Diagrams in Predicting the Susceptibility to De-Alloying Phenomena

Abstract

The Atlas of Electrochemical Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions 1 prepared by M. Pourbaix can be useful in predicting the susceptibility of engineering materials to de-alloying. Although the Atlas gives information only for pure metals in reagent grade solutions, the information can be of considerable engineering use, not only in evaluating observed corrosion phenomena, but also in predicting the likelihood that certain phenomena may take place. The current investigation will serve to illustrate not only, the usefulness of Pourbaix diagrams in planning experiments, but also the value of certain other recently developed experimental apparatus in interpreting the results.