Electrochemical characterization of solid materials in volume range II. Physical process parameters in phase isolation process

In this paper, the electrochemical phase isolation (EPI) is discussed as a process at higher current densities in which the desirable enrichment of precipitated phase particles leads to a blocking of the surface. This effect impedes the matrix dissolution rate. Under galvanostatic conditions, a higher current causes a heat build-up within the porous layer and accelerates the kinetics up to the moment when the saturation concentration is reached in the pores. Under this aspect, experiments for iron carbide isolation from a steel matrix are described.