Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for oxidative erosion or for decontamination of a metallic surface, comprising:polarizing the metallic surface to be eroded or decontaminated by chemical etching using oxidative erosion; andplacing said polarized metallic surface in contact with an electrolytic solution containing an oxidant at a more anodic electric potential than a corrosion potential of said polarized metallic surface whereby electrolysis of the electrolytic solution is prevented, the electrolytic solution containing the oxidant including manganese VII,whereinsaid polarization is intermittent and is generated by at least one electric pulse;an anodic overpotential between an electric potential at which the metallic surface is polarized and the corrosion potential of the polarized metallic surface is between 0.005 and 0.800 V; andsaid method is conducted in the presence of ozone; andcurrent densities on the metallic surface to be eroded or decontaminated lie between 0.5 and 5.0 A·m−2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the anodic overpotential between the electric potential at which the metallic surface is polarized and the corrosion potential of said surface is between 0.010 and 0.500 V. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the anodic overpotential between the electric potential at which the metallic surface is polarized and the corrosion potential of said surface is between 0.020 and 0.200 V. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the anodic overpotential between the electric potential at which the metallic surface is polarized and the corrosion potential of said surface is between 0.050 and 0.100 V. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a duration of each said at least one electric pulse is between about 1 sec and about 1 h. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the duration of each said at least one electric pulse is between about 10 sec and about 45 min. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the duration of each said at least one electric pulse is between about 1 min and about 30 min. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the duration of each said at least one electric pulse is between about 100 sec and about 1000 sec. 9. The method according to claim 1,wherein said at least one electric pulse comprises multiple electric pulses, andwherein a frequency of said multiple electric pulses ranges from 250 h−1 to 0.05 h−1. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said frequency of said multiple electric pulses ranges from 100 h−1 to 0.1 h−1. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said frequency of said multiple electric pulses ranges from 50 h−1 to 0.5 h−1. 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electrolytic solution contains nitric acid. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the manganese is initially added to said solution in the form of manganese II, manganese IV, manganese VII, or a mixture thereof. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the manganese is initially added to said solution at a concentration of less than 500 mg/L. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the manganese is initially added to said solution at a concentration of between 10 and 400 mg/L. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the manganese is initially added to said solution at a concentration of between 20 and 200 mg/L. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the manganese is initially added to said solution at a concentration of between 50 and 100 mg/L. 18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:stabilizing manganese VII to manganese II. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said stabilizing comprises adding oxygenated water (H2O2) to said solution containing manganese VII. 20. The method for oxidative erosion or for decontamination of a metallic surface according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises subjecting the metallic surface to be eroded or decontaminated to at least one non-corrosive rinsing, prior to said polarizing.