Study of the electrochemical behaviour of 304 stainless steel in postgate medium in the presence and absence of desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Abstract

A comparative study has been undertaken on the behaviour of AISI 304 steel in Postgate medium with and without the presence of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans subspecies desulfuricans bacteria (strain DSM 642). Electrochemical studies were carried out with open circuit potential measurements, linear polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). In Postgate medium without bacteria, and as expected in stainless steels, the formation is observed of a protective surface passive film on the AISI 304 steel. On measuring the corrosion potentials (E-corr), it is noted that the potential tends to rise with the immersion time, and in the impedance graphs an increase is observed in the charge transfer resistance and a higher phase angle with respect to the other systems tested. However, in Postgate medium with Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (strain DSM 642), the tendency of the corrosion potentials (E-corr) is not uniform, though the recorded values are less noble than those for the medium without bacteria. A variation is observed in the properties of the layer of corrosion products in the presence of bacteria as the immersion time advances (due to the effects caused by the formation of corrosion products which gives rise to changes in the corrosion speed).