Book excerpt: This book describes the origin, use, and limitations of electrochemical phase diagrams, testing schemes for active, passive, and localized corrosion, the development and electrochemical characterization of passivity, and methods in process alteration, failure prediction, and materials selection. It offers useful guidelines for assessing the efficacy of corrosion inhibitors and coatings for metals and alloys, developing effective corrosion prediction models, calculating the corrosion rates of various materials, determining the resistance of alloys to pitting and crevice corrosion, and considering current and potential distribution effects on corrosion.