Review—Understanding and Controlling the Electrochemical Properties of Sulfide Inclusions for Improving the Pitting Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steels

This paper reviews recent studies on the relationships between local electrochemical properties at the steel/inclusion boundary and pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steels. The effect of Mo addition to the steel matrix on the local dissolution behavior at the steel/inclusion boundary is explained. The inhibition of inclusion dissolution is beneficial for improving the pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steels. The importance of spark plasma sintering and microelectrochemical techniques in the research on localized corrosion processes are briefly discussed. We also discuss novel methods for improving the pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steels, such as the addition of corrosion inhibitors.