Localised Corrosion Monitoring (LCM)

Traditional studies of localised corrosion have been carried out using coupon tests. The problem with these tests is that it takes a long time for you to see the results from your experiment, making it a slow screening tool.

The LCM technique has the ability to supply information relating to Localised Corrosion Monitoring in the initiation phase, both in terms of magnitude, an indication of the total depth of penetration as well as the general corrosion rate. The LCM technique looks for negative going transients in the potential data caused by localised events such as a pitting initiation process. These are converted into a quantity of Coulombs via a calibrating polarisation and a V/I transient calibration curve.

Even in situations where localised corrosion is beyond the initiation stage, higher than expected values from the general corrosion rate will tell the user that something is not acceptable.

This tool makes chemical screening faster when assessing chemicals against localised corrosion; which is a major problem experienced by a number of operators.