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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Plant Polymer Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #231384

Title: Corrosion protection of low-carbon steel using exopolysaccharide coatings from Leuconostoc mesenteroides

Author
item Finkenstadt, Victoria
item Cote, Gregory
item Willett, Julious

Submitted to: Biotechnology Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2010
Publication Date: 5/26/2011
Citation: Finkenstadt, V.L., Cote, G.L., Willett, J.L. 2011. Corrosion protection of low-carbon steel using exopolysaccharide coatings from Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Biotechnology Letters. 33:1093-1100.

Interpretive Summary: Corrosion is one of the most serious and challenging problems faced worldwide by industry. It is estimated that the cost of corrosion exceeds $1.4 trillion. This research investigates the inhibition of corrosion on steel by bacterial exopolysaccharides (dextrans). There were two different behaviors when films were cast onto the steel. Some polysaccharide films reacted immediately with the metal coupon to form an iron (III) oxide layer (“rust”) during the drying process while others did not. The samples which did not form an initial rust layer had the most corrosion inhibition and formed an iron (II) passivation layer during testing that persisted after the test cells were disassembled. Corrosion inhibition was strain-specific as polysaccharides with similar structure but from different strains did not have the same activity. The results demonstrate a novel and unique use for some commercially viable dextrans.

Technical Abstract: Corrosion is one of the most serious and challenging problems faced worldwide by industry. This research investigates the inhibition of corrosive behavior of SAE1010 steel by bacterial exopolysaccharides. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy was used to evaluate the corrosion inhibition of different polysaccharide thin films cast from an aqueous solution onto steel coupons. There were two different behaviors when films were cast onto the steel. Some polysaccharide films reacted immediately with the metal coupon to form an iron (III) oxide layer (“rust”) during the drying process while others did not. The samples which did not form an initial oxide layer had the most corrosion inhibition and formed an iron (II) passivation layer during testing that persisted after the cells were disassembled.