Graphene continues to amaze scientists with its “talents”: in the near future it can be used in the fight against bacterial corrosion of metal pipes.
In wastewater treatment plants widespread sulphate reducing bacteria, which live in colonies in the form of biofilms on the surface of pipes and other equipment. Within 10 days after cleaning, the metal surfaces of the bacteria reappear in them, causing corrosion and subsequent failure.
Bacteria hit the pipe and from the inside, even though the polymer coating, they turned out to be quite well fed. Over time, these coatings become brittle, crack and their fragments fall into the water.
Researcher-School of mining and mining technology in South Dakota (USA) Govind Chilkur proposed to solve this problem, using as pipe coating graphene. In laboratory tests he found that even a single layer of graphene with thickness less than 1 nm prevents sulfatoxymelatonin of bacteria on the inner surface of metal pipes.
Given the fact that graphene is one of the most durable artificial materials, it should be used when creating the protective coating is so popular polymers.
Source — South Dakota School of Mines & Technology