Corrosion of ferrous alloys in deep sea environments

Abstract

The deep sea corrosion of ferrous alloys that undergo uniform corrosion without forming a passive layer is related to the amount of dissolved ox ygen available in the sea water. The performance of some ferrous alloys at depths of 500, 1200, 3500, and 5100 m in the Indian Ocean has been studied. The results of atomic absorption spectroscopy have revealed that the corrosion product present on mild steel coupons is FeOOH. The results of experiments in shallow water have shown that micro- and macrobiological growths play a significant role in the corrosion of ferrous materials. However, in deeper waters, the absence of macrofouling was evident, and corrosion was not related to any biological product but mainly to the electrochemical reaction of these alloys with sea water. The results of morphological studies by SEM on the surfaces of ex posed specimens are also presented.