Effect of biofouling on corrosion behaviour of grade 2 titanium in Mandapam seawaters

Titanium has the ability to withstand extremely high seawater velocities with negligible corrosion. The inherent passive nature of the metal favours the attachment of bio-organisms more. In this paper the biofouling characteristics and the influence of macrofouling on grade 2 titanium have been investigated in the Palk Bay waters of Mandapam (India) over a period of a year.This work comprises both field exposure as well as laboratory studies. The deposits on titanium were analyzed with the XRD technique. Green algae such as Cladophorapsis zoolengeri, Cheatomorpha area, Chlorodesmis hillibrandii, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Cladophora species and red algae species of Hypnea valentiae, and animals such as bryozoans and barnacles 4 mm in size were identified on the titanium metal surface. The effect of macrofouling on corrosion of titanium was investigated by both impedance and polarization techniques. Titanium experienced negligible corrosion in seawater exposure with an appreciable fouling load of 0.4527 kg.m−2y−1.