Impact of biofilm in the maturation process on the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel: long-term evaluation by EIS

In this study, the effect of biofilm in the maturation process on the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel was investigated in a model of a recirculating water system over 6 months. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization methods were used to determine the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel. The biofilm and corrosion products on the galvanized steel surfaces were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). EIS results showed that the structure of the biofilm changed during the maturation process over time and the altering structure of the biofilm affects the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel. Also, EIS analyses validated that the biofilm has a dynamic and complex structure. The data obtained from SEM and macroscopic images indicated that EIS is an effective method for monitoring the biofilm-development process.