| Scope |
Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) describes materials degradation that is significantly accelerated by microorganisms. As such, it embraces classical corrosion of structural materials, but becomes cross-disciplinary due to the additional influence of living matter. MIC-degradation has been recognized as a serious thread to societal infrastructure, with a particular current focus on oil and gas systems. For example, 20% of all metal corrosion is estimated to be due to MIC, with a strongly increasing percentage due to the ongoing climate changes that promote metabolic processes in microorganisms. Thus, a multidisciplinary effort is urgently needed to understand and eventually mitigate MIC. Whilst the topic has been recognized in specific sub-disciplines, a cross-disciplinary discussion is lacking. To this end, we propose offering a novel platform for material scientists, geologists, physicists, chemists, engineers and microbiologists at TMS though this symposium. Topics include, but are not limited to, fundamentals of MIC across length-scales, protection mechanisms, effects of MIC on mechanical properties, microstructural changes due to MIC, novel experimental and computational methods to evaluate MIC. With these topics, the symposium provides a platform for fostering new ideas to better assess, predict, and prevent MIC damage of materials. |