Corrosion of low alloy steels in natural seawater. Influence of alloying elements and bacteria

Metallic infrastructures immersed in natural seawater are exposed to important corrosion phenomena, sometimes characterised as microbiologically influenced corrosion. The presence of alloying elements in low alloy steels could present a corrosion resistance improvement of the structures. In this context, tests are performed with commercial steel grades, from 0,05 wt pc Cr to 11,5 wt pc Cr. They consist in 'on site' immersion in natural seawater on the one hand, and in laboratory tests with immersion in media enriched with marine sulphide-producing bacteria on the other hand. Gravimetric, microbiological, electrochemical measurements and corrosion product analyses are carried out and show that corrosion phenomenon is composed of several stages. A preliminary step is the reduction of the corrosion kinetics and is correlated with the presence of sessile sulphide-producing bacteria and an important formation of sulphur-containing species. This phase is shorter when the alloying element content of the steel increases. This phase is probably followed by an increase of corrosion, appearing clearly after an 8-month immersion in natural seawater for some of the grade steels. Chromium and molybdenum show at the same time a beneficial influence to generalised corrosion resistance and a toxic effect on sulphide-producing bacteria. This multidisciplinary study reflects the complexity of the interactions between bacteria and steels; sulphide-producing bacteria seem to be involved in corrosion processes in natural seawater and complementary studies would have to clarify occurring mechanisms. (author)