Novel time-frequency characterization of electrochemical noise data in corrosion studies using Hilbert spectra

Hilbert spectra, calculated with the Hilbert-Huang transform, are presented here as an analysis technique for the characterization of electrochemical noise data in corrosion studies. A highly detailed decomposition of the original current and potential data is provided in time and frequency simultaneously. Results on the decomposition of individual transients into their instantaneous frequencies at each moment in time are presented for five different corrosion processes: AlS1304 in HCl solutions at different concentrations and AlS1304 as well as mild steel in a 3 wt.% NaCl solution. The results demonstrate the potential of this technique to identify and distinguish different corrosion mechanisms. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.