Summary: | Corrosion behavior of epoxy-coated rebar with different size of microdefects in uncarbonated/carbonated simulated pore solution (U/CSPS) of seawater concrete was investigated. Specimens in both solutions underwent two stages of corrosion, according to the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) response. The initial stage was the extension of corrosion. The second stage was dominated by the diffusion process, due to the corrosion products blocking the defects and hindering the transportation of the reaction matter. Local electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (LEIS), scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) measurements and the observation of corrosion products indicated that 50 μm might be the threshold, because the corrosion of specimens with defects bigger than 50 μm in diameter was significantly more severe. Crevice corrosion was identified to occur in the experiments. The corrosion products of specimens in USPS and CSPS were mainly Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> and FeOOH, respectively. α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH exhibited an anion ion-selective property in the corrosion process, which induced crevice corrosion in CSPS. In particular, it is contended herein that Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> has the cation ion-selective property to protect the substrate in USPS.
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