WC-Co exhibit a rather high susceptibility to corrosion in aqueous solutions, which is a result of complex reaction mechanisms. The local distribution of the surface reactions is thus of considerable interest. Electrochemical measurements provide only a one-sided information about the corrosion processes. For this purpose, comparative studies of elemental solution analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) were carried out. The use of a flow cell allowed simultaneous online detection of dissolving elements. Surface characterization by XPS was used to determine the influence of solution contact on the surface composition. In order to elucidate the local aspects of the WC- Co corrosion behaviour, conventional electrochemical results (potentiodynamic polarization measurements) were compared to experiments, performed with a micro-capillary technique, which provides a focused view on the local corrosion situation. From these different methods, a more conclusive model presentation of the reaction mechanisms, taking place on WC-Co in aqueous solution, is proposed.
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