Oxide passive films are a key for the durability of metals and alloys components as well as a central issue in corrosion science and engineering. Herein, we discuss current developments of the nanometer and sub-nanometer scale knowledge of the barrier properties and adsorption properties of passive oxide films brought by recent model experimental and theoretical investigations. The discussed aspects include (i) the chromium enrichment and its homogeneity at the nanoscale in passive films formed on Cr-bearing alloys such as stainless steel, (ii) the corrosion properties of grain boundaries in early intergranular corrosion before penetration and propagation in the grain boundary network, and (iii) the interaction of organic inhibitor molecules with incompletely passivated metallic surfaces. In all three cases, key issues are highlighted and future developments that we consider as most relevant are identified.

氧化钝化膜是确保金属和合金部件耐用性的关键，也是腐蚀科学和工程学的核心问题。在本文中，我们讨论了最近模型实验和理论研究带来的有关钝化氧化膜的阻隔性能和吸附性能的纳米级和亚纳米级知识的最新进展。讨论的方面包括（i）在含铬合金（如不锈钢）上形成的钝化膜中纳米级的铬富集及其均质性；（ii）早期晶间腐蚀中晶界的腐蚀特性，在其渗透和扩散到晶粒中之前边界网络，以及（iii）有机抑制剂分子与不完全钝化的金属表面的相互作用。在这三种情况下，