Microbially influenced corrosion of 303 stainless steel by marine bacterium Vibrio natriegens: (II) Corrosion mechanism

Electrochemical techniques (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization curves) and surface analysis (scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) were carried out to determine the possible mechanism of the microbially influenced corrosion of 303 stainless steel (303 SS) by marine bacterium Vibrio natriegens (V. natriegens). In order to clarify the mechanism, 303 SS coupons were immersed in four different mediums. EIS results were interpreted with different equivalent circuits to model the physicoelectric characteristics of the electrode/biofilm/solution interface. The results showed that N2-fixation actually promoted the corrosion of 303 SS; however, the influence of the produced NH3 was negligible. It can be speculated that the electron transfer and/or the nitrogenase catalyzing the process may influence the corrosion.