Exacerbation of the mild steel corrosion process by direct electron transfer between [Fe-Fe]-hydrogenase and material surface

Ingrid Rouvre (1) , Régine Basséguy (1)

1 LGC - Laboratoire de Génie Chimique

The influence of [Fe-Fe]-hydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum on the anaerobic corrosion of mild steel was studied and the use of a dialysis bag to contain the enzyme in the close vicinity of the electrode surface led to conclusive tests. Electrochemical measurements (open-circuit potential monitoring, corrosion rate evolution, impedance), and surface and medium analysis, all confirmed the strong effect of hydrogenase to exacerbate the corrosion process. Electrolysis performed at a cathodic potential proved that hydrogenase catalysed the electrochemical reduction of protons or water into dihydrogen by direct electron transfer, demonstrating the involvement of hydrogenase in cathodic depolarisation.

Mots clés: Mild steel; Microbiological corrosion; EIS; SEM

Domaines: Génie chimique; Génie des procédés

Ingrid Rouvre, Régine Basséguy. Exacerbation of the mild steel corrosion process by direct electron transfer between [Fe-Fe]-hydrogenase and material surface. Corrosion Science, 2016, 111, pp.199-211. ⟨10.1016/j.corsci.2016.05.005⟩. ⟨hal-01907316⟩