A model for the corrosion behavior of dental amalgams

At high frequencies, electrochemical impedance behavior for corroding dental amalgams cannot be interpreted in terms of a simple Randles equivalent circuit. This may often be ascribed to the imperfect cell geometry resulting in a nonuniform current distribution. However, the insertion of a constant phase element (CPE) in the non-faradaic branch of the equivalent circuit offers a new scope for interpretation as the circuit provides an m-parameter corresponding to the degree of distortion. The decrease of m as a function of time was explained by a mathematical model reflecting an increasing number of pores. Moreover, that same model allows a better understanding of the passivating effect of NaHCO3 and of the differences between conventional and Cu-rich dental amalgams.