Microbial effects on heat treated 316L weldments in marine water

Abstract

Austenitic stainless steels are susceptible to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) when they are in contact with sea water. This is due to the changes in the chemistry of the environment at the metal surface because of the settlement and activities of microorganisms. The thrust of our work was in understanding the changes in the electrochemical behaviour of a type 316L stainless steel in the presence of a natural biofilm as well as the influence of metallurgical characteristics on microbial adhesion and MIC. The presence of a biofilm on material surface can influence the corrosion behaviour since the value of a given parameter such as temperature, pressure, concentration of a solute and pH at the water /substrate interface under the biofilm may be different from that in the bulk environment. The non-uniform nature of biofilm thus helps in generating heterogeneity in the environment at the surface. Thus, biofilms are known to aid in the initiation of corrosion, change the mode of corrosion or cause changes in the corrosion rate. Bacteria Arthobacter nicotinae (An) and algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Cp) were used for the study and bio film formed due to these showed pit initiation and increase in corrosion rate as time proceeds. 316L base metal (BM) and weld metal (WM) as received and after heat treated at 450�C for 10000 hours were studied and corrosion evaluation was done. Heat treated WM showed severe response to corrosion compared to as received WM. � (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.