Influence of pH on electrochemical properties of passive films formed on Alloy 690 in high temperature aqueous environments

Passive films formed on Alloy 690 in different pH solutions at high temperatures were studied by potentiodynamic polarization, Auger electron spectroscopy, thermodynamic diagrams and the Mott–Schottky relation. The chemical compositions and electronic structures of the passive films were found to be strongly pH-dependent. In alkaline solutions, a secondary passivation was clearly observed on potentiodynamic polarization curves. The passive films were a mixture of Cr2O3 and FeCr2O4 below the flat band potential of nickel oxide and were NiFe2O4 above this potential. Electronic structure models, describing the electrochemical properties of the passive films, are proposed and discussed.