The Impact of Microscopic Fungi on the Morphological and Structural Properties of Carbon Steel

Abstract

The growth of the microscopic fungi on the solid surface has a great influence on technical materials destruction. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of two strains of micromycetes Penicillium palitans strain 6 and Arthrinium phaeospermum strain 10 on morphological and structural properties of carbon steel surfaces in the nutrient medium. The difference in consumption of chlorine by P. palitans 6 (0.07 wt%) and A. phaeospermum 10 (0.04 wt%) and the difference in accumulation of a newly formed element manganese for P. palitans 6 (0.01 wt%) and A. phaeospermum 10 (0.03 wt%) has been observed. A relation between the surface and interface fungal stimulated processes, the biotic oxidation of steel surface as well as formation of the mixed oxides on the biomodified steel surface has been determined. The morphology of surfaces was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, the structure—by the X-ray diffraction method, Fourier transformation infrared and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.