A XPS study of the Mo effect on passivation behaviors for highly controlled stainless steels in neutral and alkaline conditions

► Laboratory stainless steels SS were tested. ► The presence of Mo oxides on the passive layer of all studied SS was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). ► Mo improved the passivity breakdown potential for the duplex and ferritic SS but seemed to have no effect for austenitic SS in alkaline medium (pH 10).