Interactions between macrofouling and corrosion on some stainless steels, UNS N06625 and UNS R30006 have been studied in long-term tests conducted in natural seawater off the West coast of Scotland. After a 18-month exposure period, the specimens were heavily fouled primarily with barnacles and mussels and all the materials exhibited crevice corrosion although this was less extensive on the Ni-base alloy.
Localised corrosion was observed under the base of live barnacles on
UNS S31603 stainless steel. DC electrochemical anodic polarisation tests undertaken after the 18-month exposure period, yielded unusually high currents in the range of potential between the free corrosion value and the breakdown potential. This observation was associated with the appearance, after the anodic polarisation, of black sulphide corrosion products at the specimenlresin crevices, around barnacles and around mussel byssus threads. Keywords: fouling, corrosion, marine, electrochemical, SRB, mussels