The concept of a critical potential below which pitting of 18–8 and other passive alloys does not occur in aqueous Cl− media is affirmed. Increasing Cl− concentration shifts the critical potential to more active values. The potential is shifted to more noble values by presence of other anions, e.g.,
ClO4−
,
SO4−−
,
NO3−
,
OH−
, sufficient concentrations of which act as pitting inhibitors. Lowering of temperature similarly enobles the critical potential. The shift at 0°C exceeds the oxidation‐reduction potential for
Fe++→Fe++++e
accounting for resistance of 18–8 to pitting in
FeCl3
solutions at ice temperature but not at room temperature. The critical potential is not affected appreciably in the acid pH range; it moves markedly in the noble direction in the alkaline range corresponding to observed resistance to pitting in alkaline Cl− media. These results are interpreted in terms of competitive adsorption of Cl− and other anions for sites on the alloy surface. Only at a sufficiently high surface concentration of Cl− is oxygen, making up the passive film, displaced locally, and passivity thereby destroyed resulting in a pit. The special behavior of
NO3−
inhibition and factors affecting reproducibility of measurements are discussed.