Synchrotron X-Ray Techniques for In Situ or Microscopic Study of Passive Films on Industrial Alloys: A Mini Review

The spontaneous formation and stability of a protective passive film on a metal surface are crucial for the metal material’s corrosion resistance during its service life. Passive films have been extensively studied, and our understanding of passive films has been significantly improved with the development of advanced analytical techniques. Modern synchrotron X-ray sources offer unprecedented possibilities for detailed analyses of passive films and for in situ and operando studies of passive films in both gaseous/aqueous environments, as well as in electrochemical environments. This mini review presents a short summary of recent studies on passive films, mainly focusing on stainless steels and nickel-base alloys, which utilize state-of-the-art synchrotron X-ray techniques, particularly X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), often in combination with other synchrotron techniques such as X-ray adsorption, diffraction, reflectivity, and fluorescence. These reports demonstrate that synchrotron-based techniques greatly improve probing sensitivity and spatial resolution, enabling in situ and operando studies of passive films at solid–liquid interfaces. These studies reveal changes in the passive film and underlying alloy layer, highlighting the important role of hydroxides, as well as the inhomogeneity in passive films associated with the complex microstructures in advanced industrial alloys.