A better understanding of failure process of waterborne coating/metal interface evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

•The EIS technique combined with LEIS technique was used to study the failure process of waterborne acrylic coating.•The effects of defect size, chloride ion concentration and resin type on failure process of waterborne acrylic coating were investigated.•The key factor in the failure process of the waterborne coating were studied by compared two types of waterborne acrylic coating during immersion.