Passivation

Passivation is the process of treating or coating a metal to reduce the chemical reactivity of its surface. On stainless steel, passivation requires removing the free iron from the surface of the metal using an acid solution to prevent rust. Passivation is the final treatment/cleaning process used to remove iron from the surface of corrosion resistant steel parts to insure than a more uniform formation of a passive surface is obtained, thus enhancing corrosion resistance.