Localising the electrochemistry of corrosion fatigue

The damage to a metal is significantly enhanced when simultaneously exposed to a corrosive solution and a cyclic mechanical stress. However, decoupling the contributions from each damage mechanisms is difficult. Localised electrochemical techniques, in particular scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), scanning kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM), and scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET), can be advantageous when determining corrosion fatigue damage mechanisms and local phenomena, such as the transition between a corrosion pit and a fatigue crack. The recent corrosion fatigue literature is reviewed to highlight the usefulness of each localised electrochemical technique and how they can contribute to advancing the corrosion fatigue field.