Determination of the effectiveness of polysulfone nanofibers containing biogenic silver nanoparticles to protect Nickel and Cobalt metals from microbial corrosion in marine environment

Corrosion is a serious problem frequently encountered in many industries; as such, it is important to prevent corrosion. The surface coating method is frequently used among corrosion prevention methods. Due to the high application costs of these coatings and the fact that they contain toxic by-products for the environment, different protection methods are needed. In recent years, the corrosion protection potential of metals or alloys of materials produced with nanotechnology has been demonstrated in studies. In particular, nanofibers () Nf loaded with nanoparticles have a high potential for use. In the thesis study, biogenic silver nanoparticle (AgNP) was produced using bacterial suparant. Nickel (Ni) and Cobalt (Co) surfaces were coated with nanofibers from the produced AgNP-containing Polysulfone (PSU) polymer simultaneously with the electrospinning method. Nanoparticles and nanofibers were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersion X-ray spectrometry (EDX) and Attenuated Total Reflection – Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (ATR-FTIR) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Surfaces covered with micrometer-thick nanofibers were investigated for Ni for corrosion measurements against the model biofilm bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an artificial seawater environment, and for Cobalt metal against Aeromonas eucrenophila bacteria in a mineral water environment using electrochemical and weight loss methods. The surfaces after corrosion as well as morphological changes in the nanofiber were visualized by SEM analysis. As a result of electrochemical and surface analysis, it was determined that PSU-Nf coatings with AgNP showed antibacterial properties and protected Ni and Co metals from both corrosion and microbial corrosion. As a result, the produced silver nanoparticle-containing polysulfone nanofibers has the potential to be used in the protection of metals from corrosion and microbial corrosion.