"Surface Modification of Stainless Steels to Enhance Passivation" This investigator examines the application of a square wave voltage (AV) to stainless steels that are immersed in an electrolyte. The idea is to significantly increase the stability of the passive film on the stainless steel by the AV processing. Experiments are being conducted to show the general applicability of the process to other stainless steels, examine the pertinent experimental variables, explore subsequent treatments to enhance the passivity, and study the surface chemistry to gain knowledge on the mechanisms creating the enhanced passivity. %%% The approach is unique, a totally new process for stainless steels, representing a significant modification to existing practice. If successful, the approach could eventually lead to new, simple procedure for improving the corrosion resistance of stainless steels through surface modification.
