EFFECT OF THE ABSORPTION OF HYDROGEN BY NICKEL ON ITS ANODIC-DISSOLUTION AND CORROSION IN ACIDIC SOLUTIONS

A computer-aided method comprising various electrochemical measurement s and continuous measurement of the dissolution rates of metal using a radiotracer technique with synchronous processing of the data obtaine d was used to study the effect of hydrogen absorbed by nickel during p reliminary cathodic polarization and corrosion on the subsequent anodi c behaviour of the metal in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. It was found that du ring the initial period of potentiostatic polarization, preferential h ydrogen ionization is limited by the non-steady state diffusion of hyd rogen to the metal surface, while the dissolution of nickel is strongl y inhibited. The beneficial influence of this inhibiting effect of hyd rogen on the electrochemical and corrosion behaviour of nickel is disc ussed.