A state-of-the-art review on passivation and biofouling of Ti and its alloys in marine environments

High strength-to-weight ratio, commendable biocompatibility and excellent corrosion resistance make Ti alloys widely applicable in aerospace, medical and marine industries. However, these alloys suffer from serious biofouling, and may become vulnerable to corrosion attack under some extreme marine conditions. The passivating and biofouling performance of Ti alloys can be attributed to their compact, stable and protective films. This paper comprehensively reviews the passivating and biofouling behavior, as well as their mechanisms, for typical Ti alloys in various marine environments. This review aims to help extend applications of Ti alloys in extremely harsh marine conditions.