In Situ Investigation of Under-Deposit Microbial Corrosion and its Inhibition Using a Multi-Electrode Array System

Carbon steel pipelines used in the oil and gas industry can be susceptible to the combined presence of deposits and microorganisms, which can result in a complex phenomenon, recently termed under-deposit microbial corrosion (UDMC). UDMC and its inhibition in CO2 ambiance were investigated in real-time using a multi-electrode array (MEA) system and surface profilometry analysis. Maps from corrosion rates, galvanic currents, and corrosion potentials recorded at each microelectrode allowed the visualization of local corrosion events on the steel surface. A marine bacterium Enterobacter roggenkampii, an iron-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing microorganism, generated iron deposits on the surface that resulted in pitting corrosion under anaerobic conditions. Areas under deposits displayed anodic behavior, more negative potentials, higher corrosion rates, and pitting compared to areas outside deposits. In the presence of the organic film-forming corrosion inhibitor, 2-Mercaptopyrimidine, the marine bacterium induced local breakdown of the protective inhibitor film and subsequent pitting corrosion of carbon steel. The ability of the MEA system to locally measure self-corrosion processes, galvanic effects and, corrosion potentials across the surface demonstrated its suitability to detect, evaluate and monitor the UDMC process as well as the efficiency of corrosion inhibitors to prevent this corrosion phenomenon. This research highlights the importance of incorporating the microbial component to corrosion inhibitors evaluation to ensure chemical effectiveness in the likely scenario of deposit formation and microbial contamination in oil and gas production equipment.

Mechanical Analysis and Corrosion Analysis of Zinc Alloys for Bioabsorbable Implants for Osteosynthesis

Zinc alloys have recently been researched intensely for their great properties as bioabsorbable implants for osteosynthesis. Pure zinc (Zn) itself has relatively poor strength, which makes it insufficient for most clinical use. Research has already proven that the mechanical strength of zinc can be enhanced significantly by alloying it with silver. This study evaluated zinc silver alloys (ZnAg) as well as novel zinc silver titanium alloys (ZnAgTi) regarding their mechanical properties for the use as bioabsorbable implants. Compared to pure zinc the mechanical strength was enhanced significantly for all tested zinc alloys. The elastic properties were only enhanced significantly for the zinc silver alloys ZnAg6 and ZnAg9. Regarding target values for orthopedic implants proposed in literature, the best mechanical properties were measured for the ZnAg3Ti1 alloy with an ultimate tensile strength of 262 MPa and an elongation at fracture of 16%. Besides the mechanical properties, the corrosion rates are important for bioabsorbable implants. This study tested the corrosion rates of zinc alloys in PBS solution (phosphate buffered solution) with electrochemical corrosion measurement. Zinc and its alloys showed favorable corrosion rates, especially in comparison to magnesium, which has a much lower degradation rate and no buildup of hydrogen gas pockets during the process. Altogether, this makes zinc alloys highly favorable for use as material for bioabsorbable implants for osteosynthesis.

Designing Advanced Biomedical Biodegradable Mg Alloys: A Review

The increased demand for alloys that can serve as implantation devices with outstanding bio-properties has led to the development of numerous biomedical Mg-based alloys. These alloys have been extensively investigated for their performance in living tissue with mixed results. Hence, there are still major concerns regarding the use of magnesium alloys for such applications. Among the issues raised are elevated corrosion rates, hydrogen generation, and the maintenance of mechanical integrity for designated healing times. In addition, toxicity can arise from the addition of alloying elements that are intended to improve the mechanical integrity and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys. The current work reviews the recent advances in the development of Mg alloys for applications as bio-absorbable materials in living organic environments. In particular, it attempts to develop a roadmap of effective factors that can be utilized when designing Mg alloys. Among the factors reviewed are the effects of alloying additions and processing methods on the exhibited mechanical properties and corrosion rates in simulated bio-fluids used in biomedical applications.

Corrosion resistance evaluation of carbon and vanadium-based sputtered coatings on steel substrates

Steels are in constant contact with fluids that could generate corrosion regardless the application in which this steel is located. AISI-SAE 1045 like steels is widely used in different applications in engineering, even several of these parts made of this steel suffers wear processes. The synergy between corrosion and wear phenomena exacerbates the detriment of some physical properties of the material conducing it to a failure. A potential alternative to avoid this issue is to coat the material surface with an anticorrosive material, and among different techniques to produce coatings, physical vapor deposition ones are environmentally friendly, secure and with excellent properties on the final product. We report the production of coatings based on vanadium and carbon on AISI-SAE 1045 steels substrates varying some of the deposition parameters in a sputtering coatings machine. A 23-factorial design of experiments was done with power applied to the vanadium target, power applied to the carbon target and temperature as active factors with two levels each one. A relevant effect of the power applied to V target and temperature on the anticorrosive properties of the coatings was found, thus increasing these factors levels always gives higher surface roughness and higher corrosion rates, this result together provides an important insight into the values that must be considered to achieve good anticorrosive properties on the material. Overall, these results indicate that with low V target power and room temperature, and high C target power the lowest corrosion rates and roughness of the group are achieved, both results agree.

Dynamic corrosion mechanical properties of magnesium alloys with Erbium in the chloride ions environment

The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), weight loss corrosion rate, corrosion residual strength (CRS), and slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) methods were used to study the effects of the addition of rare earth Erbium (Er) on the dynamic corrosion mechanical properties of the AM50 magnesium alloy. The results show that after Er was added, a new phase of Al3Er appeared and the microstructure was refined. The corrosion resistance of rare earth Er addition to the alloy was 0.5% > 1.5% > 1.0% > 0. Furthermore, the corrosion rates decreased in 432 h. The CRS results within 168 h show that the strength after an addition of 0.5% Er was the highest and the decline rate was the smallest. According to the shape of the tensile curve of CRS and the morphology of the tensile fracture, the addition of rare earth Er did not change the fracture form of the alloy, which remained as quasi-cleavage.

Innovative Study on Microstructural Change in Duplex Stainless Steel in Corrosive Media

Duplex Stainless Steel was developed long back in 1930 and gradually finds its wide application because of its high strength, good weldability, good toughness and resistance to stress corrosion cracking. This alloy finds its application in pressure vessels, bridges, process plants and also in typically down to minus 50 degree centigrade applications. However, because of its high alloy content thermal conductivities of duplex stainless steel are low. Casting this alloy is difficult and can be industrially used after proper heat treatment. In this present study corrosion rates were measured for CD4MCu in terms of weight loss/unit area/hour and microstructures were observed in different corrosive medium with time as variable.

Intrinsic Diffusivities Ratio Analysis in Double Multiphase Systems

Our investigations show that electrochemical corrosion of copper is faster than electrochemical corrosion of aluminium at temperatures below 100°C. Literature data analysis shows that the Al atoms diffuse faster than the Cu atoms at temperatures higher than 475°C, Al rich intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are formed faster in the Cu-Al system, and the Kirkendall plane shifts toward the Al side. Electrochemical corrosion occurs due to electric current and due to diffusion. An electronic devise working time, for example, depends on initial copper cover thickness on aluminium wire, connected to the electronic devise, temperature, and volume and dislocation pipe diffusion coefficients, so copper, iron, and aluminium electrochemical corrosion rates are investigated experimentally at room temperature and at temperature 100°C. Intrinsic diffusivities ratios of copper and aluminium at different temperatures and diffusion activation energies in the Cu-Al system are calculated by proposed here methods using literature experimental data. Dislocation pipe and volume diffusion activation energies of pure iron are calculated separately by earlier proposed method using literature experimental data. Aluminium dissolved into NaCl solution as the Al3+ ions at room temperature and at temperature 100°C, iron dissolved into NaCl solution as the Fe2+ (not Fe3+) ions at room temperature and at temperature 100°C, copper dissolved into NaCl solution as the Cu+ ions at room temperature and as the Cu+ and the Cu2+ ions at temperature 100°C. It is found experimentally that copper corrosion is higher than aluminium corrosion, and ratio of electrochemical corrosion rates, kCu/kAl>1, decreases with temperature increasing, although iron electrochemical corrosion rate does not depend on temperature below 100°C. It is obvious, because the melting point of iron is more higher than the melting point of copper or aluminium. It is calculated that the copper electrochemical corrosion rate is approximately equal to aluminium electrochemical corrosion at temperature about 300°C, so copper can dissolve into NaCl solution mostly as the Cu2+ ions at temperature about 300°C. The ratio of intrinsic diffusivities, DCu/DAl<1, increases with temperature increasing, and the intrinsic diffusivity of aluminium could be approximately equal to the intrinsic diffusivity of copper at temperature about 460oC. Intrinsic diffusivities ratios in the Cu-Zn system at temperature 400°C and in the Cu-Sn system at temperatures from 190°C to 250°C are analyzed theoretically using literature experimental data. Diffusion activation energies and pre-exponential coefficients for the Cu-Sn system are calculated combining literature experimental results.

Copper, Iron, and Aluminium Electrochemical Corrosion Rate Dependence on Temperature

Our investigations show that electrochemical corrosion of copper is faster than electrochemical corrosion of aluminium at temperatures below 100°C. Literature data analysis shows that the Al atoms diffuse faster than the Cu atoms at temperatures higher than 475°C, Al-rich intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are formed faster in the Cu-Al system, and the Kirkendall plane shifts towards the Al side. Electrochemical corrosion occurs due to electric current and diffusion. An electronic device working time, for example, depends on the initial copper cover thickness on the aluminium wire, connected to the electronic device, temperature, and volume and dislocation pipe diffusion coefficients, so copper, iron, and aluminium electrochemical corrosion rates are investigated experimentally at room temperature and at temperature 100°C. Intrinsic diffusivities ratios of copper and aluminium at different temperatures and diffusion activation energies in the Cu-Al system are calculated by the proposed methods here using literature experimental data. Dislocation pipe and volume diffusion activation energies of pure iron are calculated separately by earlier proposed methods using literature experimental data. Aluminium dissolved into NaCl solution as the Al3+ ions at room temperature and at temperature 100°C, iron dissolved into NaCl solution as the Fe2+ (not Fe3+) ions at room temperature and at temperature 100°C, copper dissolved into NaCl solution as the Cu+ ions at room temperature, and as the Cu+ and the Cu2+ ions at temperature 100°C. It is found experimentally that copper corrosion is higher than aluminium corrosion, and the ratio of electrochemical corrosion rates, kCu/kAl > 1, decreases with temperature increasing, although iron electrochemical corrosion rate does not depend on temperature below 100°C. It is obvious because the melting point of iron is higher than the melting point of copper or aluminium. It is calculated that copper electrochemical corrosion rate is approximately equal to aluminium electrochemical corrosion at a temperature of about 300°C, so the copper can dissolve into NaCl solution mostly as the Cu2+ ions at a temperature of about 300°C. The ratio of intrinsic diffusivities, DCu/DAl < 1, increases with temperature increasing, and intrinsic diffusivity of aluminium could be approximately equal to intrinsic diffusivity of copper at a temperature of about 460°C.

Experimental Results to Design Lactic Acid for Carbonate Acidizing

Acidizing deep carbonate formations by Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a complex task due to high reaction and corrosion rates. Mixing organic acids with HCl is a typical method to reduce the acid's reactivity and corrosivity. Lactic acid has not been investigated completely in the area of carbonate acidizing. Lactic acid has a dissociation constant similar to formic acid, which is approximately 10 times larger than acetic acid. Therefore, the objective of this work is to compare lactic/HCl blends with plain HCl and formic/HCl blends. Corrosion tests were conducted at high temperature on C-95 steel coupons to investigate associated corrosion damage. Coreflood tests were performed on Indiana limestone cores to mimic matrix acidizing treatment and to investigate amount of pore volumes required to breakthrough. All blends were prepared to be equivalent to 15 wt% (4.4 M) HCl for comparison. Lactic and formic acid concentrations were set to be (0.5 or 1 M), and HCl concentration was calculated as appropriate to reach a blend with strength of 4.4 M. In terms of corrosivity evaluation, blends of lactic and HCl acids showed a corrosion rate of up to 1.97 lb/ft2 at 300°F. The formic and HCl blend showed a corrosion rate of 1.68 lb/ft2 at the same temperature. The difference in corrosion rates between the two mixtures is due to molecular weight difference between lactic and formic acids. When both acids were prepared at 1 M, lactic acid blend required more HCl to be equivalent to 15 wt% HCl acid which was associated with an increase in corrosion rate. Coreflood results established acid efficiency curves for lactic/HCl acid blends. The curves highlighted the correlation between acid-core reactivity, injection rate, and dissolution pattern. Lactic/HCl blend was less reactive than formic/HCl mixture as the last required lower injection rate to obtain optimum pore volume to breakthrough at 300°F. Lactic/HCl blend was able to generate an optimum dissolution pattern as a dominant wormhole was shown on tested core plugs inlet face. This study expands the investigation of lactic acid utilization in carbonate acidizing. Major advantages rendered by using lactic acid with HCl include: (1) favorable dissolution pattern due to lactic acid being less reactive than HCl or formic acids, and (2) less corrosion rates comparing to HCl, that can reduce allocated costs for maintenance and replacements.