Abstract: The corrosion behaviors of steel A3 in synergistic action of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (T.f) and electrochemically accelerated corrosion were studied by electrochemical, microbiology and surface analysis methods. The open circuit potential (Eocp) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the steel A3 electrodes were measured in leathen culture medium without and with T.f (simply called T.f solution in the following paper) in immersion electrode way at the time of the 2nd, 5th, 10th, 20th and 30th days, respectively. It was found that Eocp of the electrode for immersion in leathen culture medium shifted negatively with the immersion time while that for immersion in T.f solutions shifted negatively, then positively and finally negatively. On the 20th day, the corrosion of steel A3 for immersion in culture medium was in pitting initiation stage while that for immersion in T.f solutions was in pitting growth stage. It was found that the corrosion of steel A3 was accelerated by T.f. The morphology of corrosion product of steel A3 immersion in T.f solutions observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) transformed from solid globules to tabular plates and to spongy globules and plates.

Key words: Microbiologically influenced corrosion, steel A3, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, EIS