Corrosion electrochemistry has traditionally been practiced as a measurement-oriented discipline, in which macroscopic electrochemical techniques—such as polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy—are used to characterize corrosion behavior through apparent parameters. However, corrosion is fundamentally governed by coupled electrochemical and chemical reactions occurring at heterogeneous and dynamically evolving interfaces, while the quantities extracted from conventional measurements are often spatially and temporally averaged responses. This mismatch obscures intrinsic reaction kinetics and limits mechanistic interpretation. In this Perspective, we argue that corrosion electrochemical data—whether obtained from classical bulk techniques or modern spatially resolved methods—should be interpreted explicitly from a reaction-centric standpoint. The primary objective of corrosion electrochemistry should be the identification and quantification of intrinsic reaction parameters, including charge-transfer rate constants, transfer coefficients, diffusion properties, and reaction pathways, rather than the descriptive comparison of electrochemical responses. Recent advances in operando and localized electrochemical techniques provide unprecedented access to spatially resolved interfacial reactions; however, their full potential can only be realized when coupled with quantitative kinetic analysis and modelling frameworks that link measured signals to underlying electrochemical and chemical reactions. By reframing corrosion electrochemistry around intrinsic kinetics and reaction mechanisms, this Perspective outlines a pathway toward a more mechanistic and predictive understanding of materials degradation in complex environments.
Cao et al. (2026) studied this question.