Study of the corrosion of austenitic stainless steel 304 in ethanol

The main co-product obtained in biodiesel synthesis is glycerol. By using microorganisms to break down glycerol a second-generation biofuel ethanol can be obtained. This alcohol can be used as a corrosion inhibitor for ferrous alloys. The ethanol used in this study was produced by the microbiological fermentation of glycerol by Eschericchia coli in a culture medium of dextrose peptone tryptose and lactose. The electrochemical techniques used for corrosion studies were: open circuit potential (OCP) tests electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) anodic (APD) and cathodic (CPD) potentiodynamic polarization electrical conductivity and optical microscopy (OM).