Corrosion Behavior of the Ti–6Al–4V Alloy in Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Solution

Abstract

The corrosion behavior of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy was investigated in a sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) solution. The results showed that sulfate-reducing bacteria has good affinity with the surface of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy after 5 days. A potentiodynamic polarization test demonstrated that the corrosion resistance of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy was initially improved but deteriorated quickly in the subsequent period. The corrosion mechanism of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy was revealed by analyzing its microstructure with the aid of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence. The pitting corrosion was deemed to be a typical cause of the corrosion behavior of the alloy in the SRB solution. The underlying mechanism of the pitting corrosion was proposed for the alloy.