Cathodic reaction is hydrogen-ion reduction.

Under acrated conditions, the

effective cathodic curve is the sum of the oxygen and hydrogen-ion
reduction curves; this sum curve is shown by the crosses and is used in the
analysis of corrosin under aerated conditions.
Intersections of anodic and cathodic polarization curves define the
electrochemical parameters, Ecorr and icor, for corrosion. In fig.5.43, four
intersections occur; two occur between the cathodic hydrogen reduction
curve and the anodic curves. (I.) and (H), and two between the cathodic sum
curve and each of two anodic curves. The former two intersections apply to
deaerated conditions and the latter to aerated conditions, fig. 4.44 shows
the two polarization curves predicted for the two alloys under deaerated
conditions. The shift in the active-peak, current-density maximan results in a
change in intersections of the anodic and cathodic curves such that alloys
with the high icrit have a lower Ecorr and a high icor. These differences
correlate with direct measurements of corrosion potentials and corrosion
rates of stainless steels. It is important to recognize that in the deaerated
acid, corrosion occurs in the active range of the polarization curve for alloys
of both low and high anodic-peak current density.
Figure 5.45 shows the two polarization curves predicted for the two alloys
under aerated conditions. The solid curve is predicted for the alloy with the
higher (H) anodic-peak current density, and the curve defined by the cross is
predicted for the alloy with the lower (I.) anodic

The result is a corrosion rate of about 10Ma/m2, icor (L). in contrast , the
alloy with the high anodic-peak woukd not be passivated. The polarization
curves cross in the active potential range of the alloy resulting in an active
corrosion rate corresponding to about 250 mA/m2.
This analysis provides explanations of observations that slight increases in
oxidizing power of the environment can significantly decrease the corrosion
rate by changing the corrosion mode from active to passive. For example,
increassing the amount of disolved oxygen in the environment or increasing
fluid velocity to increase the limiting-diffusion current density can move the
cathodic curve beyond the anodic-peak current density. Othe examples are
the decrease in corrosion rate with small additions of nitric acid, ferric ions,
and cupric ions to the environment, all of which result in a net cathodic
curve at higher current densities. Thereby placing the alloy in the passive
state.