Biofilm Development and Biocorrosion of Stainless Steel AISI 316L Exposed to Marine Conditions

摘要

Corrosion is an electrochemical phenomenon common to any metal surface exposed to aqueous or humid environments. This phenomenon can be influenced by the presence of microorganisms (Microbial Induced Corrosion, MIC) that develop a complex biological matrix on the liquid-metal interface, known as biofilm. During MIC, the biofilm generates microenvironments that locally change water chemistry (i.e. pH, ions concentration, redox potential) at the metal surface, inducing surface polarization and localized corrosion occurrence.