2 – Corrosion fundamentals and characterization techniques

Abstract Corrosion is the result of the chemical or electrochemical reaction between a material, usually a metal or alloy, and its environment that produces a deterioration of the material and its properties. Therefore, corrosion processes are classified as chemical or electrochemical, according to the characteristics of the environment. Corrosion is also classified according to the forms of morphology on the surface of the corroded materials or according to the causes that promoted the corrosion. The most common forms of corrosion include general corrosion and localized corrosion. Examples of the corrosion classified according to the causes include stress corrosion cracking and microbially influenced corrosion. This chapter presents an overview of the different types of corrosion and the common techniques used to study and characterize corroded metal surfaces and corrosion products.