The Volta potential is an electron-sensitive parameter and describes the thermodynamic propensity of a metal to take part in electrochemical reactions. It has found widespread acceptance among corrosion researchers due to its connection to the corrosion potential and its easy measurability in local scale, being often used to study localised corrosion phenomena and micro-galvanic activities. The principle object of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, fundamental insight into the meaning of the Volta potential and to define a polarity convention of measured potentials by the scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) in order to assess local nobilities in microstructures. Conditions to relate the Volta potential with the mixed-potential theory are discussed and a possible connection to corrosion phenomena explained. The limitations of the Volta potential as well as the SKPFM technique are also aimed to be explained, with some practical information to maximise the output of high quality data.

Increasingly researchers are looking to bring together perspectives across multiple scales, or to combine insights from different techniques, for the same region of interest. To this end, correlative microscopy has already yielded substantial new insights in two dimensions (2D). Here we develop correlative tomography where the correlative task is somewhat more challenging because the volume of interest is typically hidden beneath the sample surface. We have threaded together x-ray computed tomography, serial section FIB-SEM tomography, electron backscatter diffraction and finally TEM elemental analysis all for the same 3D region. This has allowed observation of the competition between pitting corrosion and intergranular corrosion at multiple scales revealing the structural hierarchy, crystallography and chemistry of veiled corrosion pits in stainless steel. With automated correlative workflows and co-visualization of the multi-scale or multi-modal datasets the technique promises to provide insights across biological, geological and materials science that are impossible using either individual or multiple uncorrelated techniques.

Metallic additive manufacturing will replace some materials produced by conventional fabrication methods in the nearest future. However, corrosion will remain an important aspect needed to be prevented. The corrosion behaviour of additively manufactured alloys has been sparsely studied and very little work has been published so far. In this article, a general discussion about materials produced by additive manufacturing will be provided.

Correlative electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) analysis has been carried out to characterise microstructure development and associated corrosion behaviour of as-received and 750 °C heat-treated grade 2205 duplex stainless steel. High-resolution EBSD analysis revealed the presence of σ- and χ-phase, secondary austenite, Cr₂N, and CrN after ageing treatment. SKPFM Volta potential measurements confirmed the formation of discrete reactive sites, indicating local corrosion propensity in the microstructure. Cr₂N, σ-phase, and inter-granular χ-phase had the largest net cathodic activity, followed by CrN and intra-granular χ-phase showing medium electrochemical activity, with ferrite and austenite (including secondary austenite) showing net anodic activity. Corrosion screening confirmed selective corrosion of ferrite in the as-received and 750 °C-aged conditions with the corrosion propensity of secondary phases staying in-line with SKPFM observations. Stress corrosion micro-cracks were also observed and are discussed in light of microstructure corrosion propensity.

Corrosion inhibition of aluminum alloy AA6063-T5 by vanadates (NaVO₃) in 0.05 M NaCl solution has been investigated by electrochemical and weight loss measurements, and associated with microstructure and Volta potential data. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses confirmed the presence of micrometer-sized Fe-rich Al_4.01MnSi_0.74, Al_1.69Mg₄Zn_2.31, and FeAl₃ intermetallic phases (IMPs) and nanometer-sized CuAl₂, ZnAl₂, and Mg₂Si precipitates in the microstructure. Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements showed Volta potential differences of up to 600 mV between the microstructure constituents indicating a high susceptibility to micro-galvanic corrosion, with interphase boundary regions exhibiting the highest propensity to corrosion. Most IMPs had cathodic character whereas some nanometer-sized Mg-rich particles exhibited anodic nature, with large Volta potential gradients within interphase regions of large cathodic particles. Electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization measurements indicated that the vanadates provided mixed corrosion inhibition effects, mitigating both oxygen reduction, occurring on cathodic IMPs, and anodic metal dissolution reaction, occurring on anodic sites, such as Mg₂Si and interphase boundary regions. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the sodium metavanadate inhibitor blocks active metal dissolution, giving high inhibition efficiency (>95%) during the initial exposure, whereas long-term weight loss measurements showed that the efficacy decreases after prolonged exposure.