The main aim of this study was to obtain information about the nature of the passive him formed on the zinc anode surface in Ni-containing solutions by chronopotentiometry, SEM, X-ray microanalysis, XPS and SIMS. It was shown that, with an external anodic current, passive film formation was a result of space-sharing anodic and cathodic reactions due to local Ni or Zn-Ni alloy electrodeposition. As a result, a film of two layers was formed on the Zn anode : Zn substrate\2Ni(x)Zn (x > 1) + Zn(OH)(2)NiZn + Zn(OH)(2). At the rest potential a one-layer film was formed consisting of Zn substrate\2Ni(x)Zn + Zn(OH)(2).