This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution Non-Commercial License which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Received: November 14, 2018; Revised: March 31, 2018; Accepted: April 05, 2018
Abstract: The effect of external DC electric field on atmospheric corrosion behavior of zinc under a thin electrolyte layer (TEL) was investigated by measuring open circuit potential (OCP), cathodic polarization curve, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results of OCP vs. time curves indicated that the application of external DC electric field resulted in a negative shift of OCP of zinc. Results of cathodic polarization curves measurement and EIS measurement showed that the reduction current of oxygen increased while charge transfer resistance (Rct) decreased under the external DC electric field. Variation of OCP negative shift, reduction current of oxygen, and Rct increase with increasing of external DC electric field strength as well as the effect of external DC electric field on double-layer structure in the electrode/electrolyte interface and ions distribution in thin electrolyte layer were analyzed. All results showed that the external DC electric field could accelerate the corrosion of zinc under a thin electrolyte layer.