Bio-fouling and corrosion characteristics of 60 40 brass in Mandapam waters

The bio-fouling and corrosion characteristics of 60 40 brass were investigated in the Palk Bay waters of the Mandapam Coast, India, over a period of a year. The experimental methods included corrosion rate by weight loss measurement and analysis of the corrosion product by X-ray diffraction. The bio-fouling characteristics of 60 40 brass were studied in terms of seasonality of recruitment of organisms and quantification of the fouling community development pattern. The XRD analysis of the products on brass threw more light on the protective nature of the compounds formed and their impact on the overall corrosion rate of the material. The organisms found in fouling deposits on brass included algae, bryozoans and hydroids. The results of the study are discussed in the light of the sea-water characteristics and monsoonal effects.