Evaluation of corrosion of thin-layer copper galvanic coatings under chemical and biogeochemical conditions

• E. Abramova, O. Tripachev, A. Kuzov, A. Safonov and V. Andreev

Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, 31-4, Leninsky prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia

Abstract: Copper is extensively utilized in practice, both as a bulk metal and in the form of coatings due to its significant chemical inertness coupled with high corrosion resistance. In this study corrosion processes on thin-layer copper coatings electrodeposited on St3 steel were investigated under chemical and biogeochemical conditions. For 45 days tests a low-mineralized solution (mg/L: NaHCO₃ – 272, MgSO₄·7H₂O – 71.8, CaCl₂ – 70; pH 7.1) simulating groundwater and a natural groundwater containing inherent microbial community were used as a liquid phase. The dominant microorganisms in groundwater sample were organotrophic and iron reducing bacteria, from the genera Hydrogenophaga, Coriobacteriia, and Pseudomonas, capable of organic acid metabolite production and assimilative sulphate reduction. It was established that the key factor influencing the corrosion rate of the electrodeposited copper coating/St3 steel system is the thickness of the coating. The copper coating with a thickness of 50 µm demonstrated the highest corrosion resistance in both chemical and biogeochemical environments. Modifications to the deposition methodology, such as the incorporation of silicon dioxide microparticles or additional oxidation of thin coatings, were found to have a negligible effect on the corrosion resistance of the coatings. It is important to note that in all cases, under experimental conditions, the coatings proved to be sufficiently resistant to biological influences.

Keywords: corrosion, copper galvanic coatings, microbiological corrosion

Int. J. Corros. Scale Inhib., 2025, 14, no. 4, 2287-2297
doi: 10.17675/2305-6894-2025-14-4-30

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