A new experimental model based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for investigating the reactions taking place in a film of intrinsically conducting polymers formed on iron or steel substrate is developed, in which the reaction at the injured surface area of the coated iron and reaction of polymer could be studied separately. It is evident that a combination of adhesion promoting self assembling monolayer and a film of conducting polymer gives the protection against the delamination, but the catalytic action of the conducting polymer for the oxygen reduction and for the metal passivation is not found. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.