Anodic and spontaneous corrosion of different types of stainless steel (AISI 304L, AISI 316L and 2205 DSS) in phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS, pH = 7.4) at 37 °C (i.e., in simulated physiological solution in the human body) were examined using open circuit potential measurements, linear and cyclic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods. After the anodic and spontaneous corrosion, the surface of the tested samples was investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDS analysis. It has been established that the tendency of the examined steel materials towards local corrosion decreases in the order: AISI 304L < AISI 316L < 2205 DSS. Namely, the possibility of repassivation and the resistance to local corrosion increases in the same order. The corrosion resistance of steel samples at open circuit potential is a consequence of forming a natural oxide film with a bi-layer structure and consists of an inner barrier and an outer porous film. The inner barrier film has a small thickness and extremely high resistance, while the outer porous film is much thicker but also has significantly lower resistance. The inner barrier layer mainly prevents corrosion of examined steel samples in order: AISI 304L < AISI 316L < 2205 DSS. Light microscopy and SEM/EDS analysis after pitting and spontaneous corrosion showed damage on the AISI 304L and AISI 316L surface, while the surface of 2205 DSS was almost undamaged by corrosion.

The effect of temperature (from 288 to 308 K) and concentration of sulfide ions (up to 40 ppm) on the corrosion behavior of AISI 304L and AISI 316L stainless steels in seawater was studied with measurements of open-circuit potential, linear and potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An increase in temperature and pollutant concentration negatively affects the corrosion stability of stainless steels at the open circuit (the resistance, compactness, and thickness of the surface layer decrease and the corrosion current increases), in the passive region (the passivation current increases, the depassivation potential decreases, and the passive potential region narrows), and in the transpassive potential region (the rate of metal dissolution increases). The occurrence of pitting corrosion on the surface of the samples was confirmed with optical microscopy and a non-contact 3D profilometer. A few large pits (depth 80–100 μm and width 100 μm) were formed on the surface of AISI 304L steel, while several smaller pits (depth 40–50 μm and width 50 μm) were formed on the surface of AISI 316L steel. With increasing temperature and sulfide ion concentration, the width, depth, and density of the pits increased on both steel samples. In the studied temperature and concentration range of sulfide ions, the AISI 316L steels exhibited higher corrosion resistance. Overall, the influence of sulfide ions on steel corrosion was more pronounced than the influence of temperature.