3.1 An indication of the susceptibility to initiation of localized corrosion in this test method is given by the potential at which the anodic current increases rapidly. The more noble this potential, obtained at a fixed scan rate in this test, the less susceptible is the alloy to initiation of localized corrosion. The results of this test are not intended to correlate in a quantitative manner with the rate of propagation that one might observe in service when localized corrosion occurs.

3.2 In general, once initiated, localized corrosion can propagate at some potential more electropositive than that at which the hysteresis loop is completed. In this test method, the potential at which the hysteresis loop is completed is determined at a fixed scan rate. In these cases, the more electropositive the potential at which the hysteresis loop is completed the less likely it is that localized corrosion will occur.

3.3 If followed, this test method will provide cyclic potentiodynamic anodic polarization measurements that will reproduce data developed at other times in other laboratories using this test method for the two specified alloys discussed in 3.4. The procedure is used for iron-, nickel-, or cobalt-based alloys in a chloride environment.

3.4 A standard potentiodynamic polarization plot is included. These reference data are based on the results from five different laboratories that followed the standard procedure, using specific alloys of Type 304 stainless steel, UNS S30400 and Alloy C-276, UNS N10276.³ Curves are included which have been constructed using statistical analysis to indicate the acceptable range of polarization curves.

3.5 The availability of a standard test method, standard material, and standard plots should make it easy for an investigator to check his techniques to evaluate susceptibility to localized corrosion.