Morphology of corroded surfaces: Contribution of cellular automaton modelling

A simple model describes uniform and localised corrosion. We use a mesoscopic cellular automata (CA) type approach, which has proved a powerful tool in the study of rough metal–electrolyte interfaces. The model accounts for two corrosion kinetics and their relative spatial localisation. The competition between the two forms of kinetics of corrosion is shown to reproduce several types of morphology of corrosion ranging from narrow pits or larger cavities to rough surfaces. Simulation and experimental results are compared providing insight on the relation between kinetics and morphologies of the corrosion front. We emphasize the importance of stochastic simulations in relation to CA.

Research highlights
► Simple cellular automata model describing uniform and localised corrosion.
► Introduction of a localisation degree which modulate the reactivity in the pit.
► Great variety of corrosion front morphology.
► Comparison with different experimental corrosion processes.
► Stochastic evolution of the pit.