The passivity of metals is reviewed from the perspective of materials science rather than with the usual electrochemical emphasis. Iron and ferrous alloys are used to illustrate the essentials of the phenomenon of passivity. A discussion of the general and engineering aspects is first given followed by a detailed description of fundamental issues that control the passivity of metals: (i) the nature of the passive film, (ii) the passive film formation and dissolution processes, and (iii) the mechanisms that underlie the breakdown of passive films.
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