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Electrochemical corrosion measurements in low-conductivity bio-oils: decoupling interfacial film memory from bulk electrolyte aging
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1  Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
Academic Editor: Raman R. K. Singh

Abstract:

Electrochemical corrosion measurements in viscous, low-conductivity organic media are limited by high cell impedance and parasitic artefacts. This work showcases a robust electrochemical protocol validated in a model bio-oil (MBO, 135 cP) and a more viscous pristine fast pyrolysis bio-oil (P-FPO, 7780 cP) to obtain reliable corrosion kinetic parameters. Established best practices, including open circuit potential (OCP) stabilization, low-amplitude perturbations, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) conductedwithin a charge-transfer-focused frequency window were implemented using a four-electrode cell. Experiments were performed in MBO under three aging systems: Same Solution–Same Electrode (SSSE), Same Solution–
Different Electrode (SSDE), and Different Solution–Different Electrode (DSDE). EIS analysis with a physically motivated equivalent circuit resolved the solution resistance (Rs), charge transfer resistance (Rct), and EIS-derived polarization resistance (Rp(EIS)), thereby decoupling the contributions of interfacial film growth and bulk-solution aging to the measured resistances. Uncompensated linear polarization resistance (LPR) slopes initially overestimated Rp(LPR) due to the contribution of Rs; after ohmic drop (iR) correction using EIS-derived Rs, Rp(LPR) converged with Rp(EIS), enabling rapid yet quantitative corrosion screening. Cross-comparison between MBO and P-FPO systems confirms that a properly wired four-electrode configuration is essential for quantitative corrosion measurements in highly resistive, highly viscous, polymer-rich organic media, particularly when solution resistance is uncertain.

Keywords: Steel corrosion; Bio-oil; Low-conductivity electrolytes; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Linear polarization resistance; Four-electrode configuration.

 
 
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