University13 min

Potential-pH diagrams: boundaries, slopes and corrosion

Recognise the three kinds of boundary, derive a slope from the half-equation, and tell whether a metal is immune, corroding or passivated.

The essentials

1

What the diagram shows

For an element in water, the map of predominance domains (dissolved species) or existence domains (solids) in the plane: pH on the horizontal axis, EE on the vertical one. It is drawn at 25 C25\ ^\circ\text{C} for a fixed plotting concentration ctrac_{\text{tra}}. Upwards, the high oxidation states; to the right, the basic species (hydroxides, oxides).
2

Three kinds of boundary

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3

The two water lines

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4

Immunity, corrosion, passivation

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5

The reading rule, and its limit

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