Structures and properties of the passive films form ed on iron in aqueous environments have been the hot topic of the electrochemist ry and materials science for two centuries from discovering the passivation phen o menon.In this paper,the significance and history about the research on the passi ve film formed on iron are introduced in brief,processes and advances in researc h on the passive film formed on iron in various aqueous environments by differen t techniques are reviewed.Four different passive film models were developed in t he history of iron passivity research,but neither of them could reflect the true nature of the passive film due to the limits of the experimental techniques and methods.With the introducing of the advanced technologies and methods,the true nature of the passive film on iron and the mechanism of the corrosion prevention for iron by passivity have been understood better and better.