Corrosion protection of steel reinforcement by a pretreatment in phosphate solutions: Assessment of passivity by electrochemical techniques

The aim of this work is to study the protection of steel reinforcement against corrosion by pretreatment in phosphate (Na₃PO₄) solution. The work has been carried out using electrochemical techniques, i.e. corrosion potential E _corr, polarisation resistance R _P and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The results have been validated by a gravimetric method. It has been stressed that R _P measurements, determined by DC techniques, include the charge transfer resistance R _t plus the resistance associated with the redox process R _ox, both determined by EIS. Also the results have demonstrated that the treatment of the rebar by immersion in the Na₃PO₄ (0·5M) solution favours the formation of a passive layer on the steel rebar surface, which is able to resist longer the action of chlorides to initiate corrosion. However, the resistance of the passive layer against chloride depends on the duration of the treatment by immersion of the rebar within the phosphate solution.