Chloride-induced degradation of passive films on metals is a critical concern in corrosion science, significantly affecting the performance, safety, and service life of structural, industrial, and biomedical materials. Passive films, typically composed of oxides or hydroxides, serve as self-healing protective barriers; however, exposure to aggressive chloride environments can compromise their stability, resulting in localized corrosion phenomena such as pitting, crevice formation, and accelerated material deterioration. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the underlying mechanisms of chloride-induced degradation, including chloride adsorption, film breakdown, pit initiation, and subsequent propagation. It also examines various modeling strategies, including electrochemical, thermodynamic, computational, continuum, and data-driven approaches, evaluating their effectiveness in predicting degradation processes and understanding complex interactions at the metal-solution interface. Factors influencing degradation, such as alloy composition, chloride concentration, temperature, and environmental conditions, are discussed in detail alongside comparative evaluations of different modeling techniques. The review further highlights practical implications for material selection and corrosion mitigation, as well as the existing challenges and limitations in current modeling practices.
Musa Husaini (Sat,) studied this question.