Protein induced corrosion of metals in the marine environment

Abstract

In marine industries, seawater and biofouling organisms such as barnacles can cause corrosion to submerged metal structures due to a variety of corrosion mechanisms. Such corrosion can damage the equipment, which could potentially shorten the lifespan or even result in catastrophic structural failure. Barnacles are known to secrete a protein complex, called barnacle cement proteins (BCP), which enable them to adhere to surfaces and hence result in protein induced corrosion (PIC). In this project, the extent of PIC and how the surface roughness of stainless steel affects corrosion will be examined. This report investigates the corrosive effects of one such protein derived from barnacle cement, MrCP20, on AH36 steel, which is commonly used in the marine environment. It was found that MrCP20 adsorption occurs instantaneously and corrosion sites appear within minutes. However significant corrosion only occurred after 2 hours of incubation. It was also found that in some instances, MrCP20 may actually form a protective layer and prevent the metals from corrosion. It was also found that surface roughness may not have a significant effect on the impact of corrosion. Based on these key findings, recommendations for future work that can better shed light onto the PIC process have been proposed.