Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy was used to investigate the influence of microstructure on the corrosion behavior of nickel aluminum bronzes in ammoniacal and NaCl solutions as well as under potential control in Na2SO4. The results showed an inverse correlation between the measured Volta potential difference and the observed corrosion behavior. In other words, the phase with initially higher Volta potential was preferentially attacked whereas those with the lowest Volta potential difference values remained intact. This behavior suggests that Volta potential difference maps in air cannot be universally correlated with practical nobility or reactivity in solution, as proposed by other investigators. The implications of these findings are discussed. (C) The Author(s) 2017. Published by ECS. All rights reserved.