Several arguments have been presented for the role of the "activating element(s)" in the anodic electrochemical processes associated with the use of aluminum based alloys as sacrificial anodes in seawater applications during the last 20 years. This paper presents results from testing selected areas of a commercially cast, indium-activated, aluminum alloy anode and from recent studies of calibration alloys. Scanning Auger analysis for surface chemistry differences, scanning Kelvin (SKP) and scanning vibrating reference electrode (SVP) analysis for surface electrochemical differences were employed along with testing the same samples using conventional electrochemical techniques.
Keywords: Sacrificial anodes, Indium activated aluminum alloys, Kelvin probe, scanning reference electrode, SKT, SRET, anodic polarizations.