Corrosion Engineering: A Working Day to Remember

Corrosion Engineering: A Working Day to Remember

Blogs, Corrosion Science Division, PFP

5 Talks, 4 Working Group Sessions, 1 Prestigious Award, and a New Chair… Phew!

The corrosion engineering community was able to get together and do what they do best at the Institute of Corrosion’s Corrosion Engineering Division (CED) Working Day and Symposium in April. Discuss latest trends, share knowledge, and brainstorm ideas and concepts.

Held at the magnificent National Railway Museum in York, this was the latest in a series of CED Working Days that offer delegates exceptional networking opportunities – as well as a chance to visit the museum.

A welcome to introduce a sad farewell

Nick Smart, Chair of CED, welcomed the delegates to the event and introduced the speakers. This was the last Working Day and Symposium that Nick has introduced, as, after 15 years of excellent service as the CED Chair, he is stepping down.

Nick’s shoes will be challenging to fill, and the meeting showed their appreciation for his unstinting efforts and contribution throughout his years at the helm. A sad but celebratory farewell, and a warm welcome to the incoming Chair.

Introducing the Corrosion Engineering Division’s new Chair

Before the main proceedings began, Nick Smart introduced the delegates to the CED’s new Chair, Danny Burkle.

While Nick will be a hard act to follow, we’re incredibly lucky to have Danny taking over the steering of the CED.

A business development engineer, Danny’s prime responsibilities in his role at LBBC Baskerville include developing business strategy, business, and product range for innovative corrosion testing autoclaves to simulate realistic field environments within several high-pressure and high-temperature applications and industries.

His Doctorate in mechanical engineering, which he completed at the University of Leeds, focused on corrosion mechanisms involved in carbon dioxide corrosion, and protecting carbon steel assets against corrosion by forming natural corrosion products. The industry-focused research, sponsored by BP, was based on real-life engineering problems.

With both academic and industry experience, Danny’s role as CED Chair could help to forge closer relationships between research and industry.

Knowledge transfer in five presentations

Through the day, delegates were treated to five presentations around this year’s theme of ‘Knowledge Transfer and the Management of Infrastructure Corrosion and Management’:

1.     Hot dip galvanizing for specification and use in infrastructure projects

Presented by Desmond Makepeace of the Galvanisers Association, this talk began by describing the galvanising process, with reference to the appropriate standard EN ISO 1461.

Desmond discussed a variety of defects, which of these can be tolerated, and factors affecting the quality of galvanising, including coating thickness, renovation, adhesion, joining-bolting, duplex systems, maintenance, venting of hollow sections, and overlapping sections. He also discussed how the atmosphere affects corrosion of galvanised structures.

2.     Best management practices to transfer knowledge to ensure integrity assurance optimisation for oil and gas production

One of the highlights of the Working Day, this Young ICorr talk was given by Izabela Gajewska. Izabela was a member of the winning team of the 2020 cohort of the Institute of Corrosion’s Young Engineer Programme (YEP) (which you can read about in our article ‘A case study for all young corrosion engineers – it could be you’).

Izabela discussed the nature of knowledge transfer, and the best practices to ensure this happens effectively and successfully – such as planning, work experience, mentoring, specialised training, attending conferences, and so on. She spoke about creating an effective mentoring strategy, delivery of training, and the value of external training courses in areas including coating, passive fire protection, cathodic protection, and risk assessments.

3.     The consequences of climate change for corrosion

Chris Atkins of Mott MacDonald gave a thought leadership talk, discussing his ideas around climate change and corrosion. For example, can we rely on historically established corrosion rates as emissions of carbon dioxide are increasing? An ensuing reduction in the pH of natural waters could make them more aggressive to concrete, though it may reduce the corrosion rate of galvanised steel.

Temperature increases reduce the dissolved oxygen content in water, but Chris demonstrated how this temperature increase does not automatically produce an increase in corrosion rates – and a reduction in carbon dioxide levels from today’s elevated levels is likely to reduce atmospheric corrosivity.

The real issue? As far as Chris is aware, no one is taking a global view of the effect of climate change on corrosion, and this leads Chris to ask one last question: is this an opportunity for the Institute of Corrosion to take a leading role?

4.     Academia and industry: How can we advance corrosion science and engineering together?

“Academics want to publish. Companies want to make money.”

Old thinking.

Richard Barker of Leeds University addressed this in a thought-provoking talk that pointed to research around this topic, as well as opportunities and challenges that exist for academia and commercial operations to collaborate more effectively.

While academia has the time and resource to produce new knowledge which can be used commercially, barriers that exist include complexity of communication to share knowledge and the complexity of initiating and continuing collaboration.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is trust. Industry must trust scientists, but the complex and ever-changing nature of large bodies of academic research makes this challenging for many businesses. However, we are seeing that some companies are developing strategies to identify and reach out to research groups for collaborative projects – and creating collaborative success.

The conclusion? Yes, there are challenges that exist, but these can be overcome with the correct approach from both sides. If we can do this, then there are significant benefits to be accessed from greater collaboration between academia and industry.

5.     Radioactive waste disposal – where corrosion science meets corrosion engineering

In the first presentation of the afternoon session, Nick Smart gave his last CED Working Day and Symposium presentation as Chair.

Nick discussed the three levels of radioactive waste, and discussed the various research that supports the corrosion engineering and safety assessment aspects of radioactive waste management.

Describing corrosion issues that exist (such as atmospheric external corrosion of stainless steel waste containers during interim storage, the corrosion behaviour of waste uranium, aluminium and Magnox after encapsulation in cement, and the long-term corrosion of waste containers after disposal in deep geological repositories), he pointed out that the UK’s total nuclear waste inventory would fill Wembley Stadium.

Nick discussed the two main concepts for geological disposal of high-level waste, and the challenges that exist within diverse global geological environments – key environmental considerations when disposing of radioactive waste underground include oxygen concentration, chloride and sulphide concentrations, radiation levels and microbial activity.

Nick outlined the analytical techniques that are used to characterise the corrosion behaviour and corrosion rates of candidate waste container materials in long-term in situ experiments conducted under representative conditions, and how such studies can be supported by comparison with the corrosion of natural analogues, such as archaeological artefacts like the Anglo-Saxon Coppergate Helmet currently exhibited in the Yorkshire Museum.

The session concluded with a short talk by Stuart Bond from AMPP. He discussed the development of revised standards being conducted by AMPP (a merger between SSPC/NACE was rolled out in January 2021).

The Working Group Meetings

At the end of the talks, delegates had an opportunity to visit the National Railway Museum and attend Working Group Meetings. This year the following groups held sessions:

·       Nuclear Corrosion Group

Chaired by Nick Smart, the Nuclear Corrosion Group met to discuss a wide range of corrosion issues arising during the storage of nuclear waste. These included assessment of pitting corrosion in stainless steel during storage in atmospheric conditions, the effects of microbial corrosion on cast iron under damp conditions, and the potential for galvanic corrosion of stainless steel in contact with graphite in cementitious environments.

·       Coatings Group

There was plenty to discuss in this group, chaired by Phillip Watkinson. This included:

  • The impending review of the Coatings Technical Information Documents (CTID), created in 2016-17
  • The transfer of NACE Coatings Standards to AMPP
  • A suggestion by Douglas Mills that EIS measurements (ISO 12944) be reviewed
  • Phillip Watkinson tabled that two Paints and Varnishes Standards (BS EN ISO 4628-1:2003 and 4628-2:2003) should also be reviewed

It was agreed that an interim meeting would be held ahead of next year’s CED Working Day.

·       Cathodic Protection Group

Acting Chair Chris Lynch directed discussion around subsea CP systems and performance of flush fit aluminium deep sea anodes on complex piping systems. This included current distribution, current density, anode installation methodology and expected performance along with coatings, anode corrosion products, and calcareous deposits.

·       All Energy Group

Chaired by Steve Paterson, all those present contributed to a positive discussion about the purpose of the group, which has been formed by adding renewables to the previous Oil and Gas Group. Items covered included:

  • Production of documents
  • Mentoring of Young ICorr members
  • Information exchange via networking
  • Engagement with other organisations like AMPP

After an update with regards to standards, it was agreed that another meeting would be held in October.

The Paul McIntyre Award

As is customary at the CED Working Day and Symposium, before the group broke for lunch, the President presented the Paul McIntyre Award.

This year’s recipient of this prestigious award, the premier engineering award of the Institute of Corrosion, was Chris Lynch, who has worked tirelessly for many years and made many outstanding contributions to many aspects of corrosion engineering. You can read more about the award and Chris’s contributions in our article ‘Chris Lynch – Recipient of the Paul McIntyre Award 2022’.

Don’t miss out on the benefits of the CED

The CED is a driving force within the corrosion industry. It shares news, views, and learning to the Institute’s membership, via several channels, including:

Chairs of individual Working Groups liaise with counterparts at other corresponding Working Groups in international bodies. The Working Groups also provide a mechanism for members to collaborate effectively; for example, by jointly preparing documents that are of immediate and practical use to them in their field of activity. Such documents are downloadable within the Members Area of the ICorr website.

If you are not already a member of the Institute of Corrosion, check out our membership page to learn how to become a member and immediately begin to enjoy the many benefits of membership of the Institute of Corrosion.

A Case Study for All Young Corrosion Engineers – It Could Be You

A Case Study for All Young Corrosion Engineers – It Could Be You

Blogs, Corrosion Engineering Division, Corrosion Science Division, YEP

Rewards, Awards, and Benefits of Participating in the Young Engineer Programme

Here’s a case study for all young corrosion engineers:

Do what you love to do. Receive grade A mentorship in the process. Develop your learning and understanding, and make new connections to deepen your professional network. Oh, and win a fully expensed trip to the 5-day AMPP Annual Conference & Expo in the USA.

Too good to be true? Not for the winning team of the 2020 cohort of the Institute of Corrosion’s Young Engineer Programme (YEP).

What is the Young Engineer Programme?

The YEP is specifically designed for engineers at the early stage of their careers in the corrosion industry. A series of lectures are presented, and the group is divided into teams and challenged to present solutions to a real-life case study.

The lectures cover subject areas including:

  • Basic corrosion
  • Welding
  • Materials
  • Coatings
  • Painting, fire protection and linings
  • Cathodic protection
  • Chemical treatments
  • Presentation skills

These lectures are designed to provide the theoretical and practical guidance needed to complete the case study. To aid progress toward their goal, each team is allocated a mentor with relevant and recognised industry expertise and experience.

There was a total of 30 young engineers enrolled in the 2020 cohort, all able to take advantage of this immensely valuable (and free) course. The YEP enrolled engineers divided into seven teams of between three and five for the case study.

The mentors were:

  • Andrew Sturgeon, Manager Materials Engineering at Genesis Energies, London
  • Chris Googan, Materials & Corrosion Engineer at Anticorrosion Engineering Limited
  • Charles Barraclough, Materials and Welding Engineer
  • Tasos Kostrivas PhD, ΕMBA, MSc, FIMMM
  • David Shaw, Lead QC coating/insulation/PFP Saipem
  • Rob Doggett, Materials and Welding Engineer at Fluor
  • John Davies, Consultant QA Engineer at Fulkrum Technical Services

Throughout the programme, guests included Bill Hedges, Gareth Hinds, Steve Paterson, Danny Burkle, and Caroline Allanach and the Steering Group; Trevor Osborne, Alan Denny, Anthony Setiadi, and David Mobbs.

The case study – the challenge

The case study that the teams were asked to review and present their findings centred around a titanium pipe corrosion failure at an onshore glycol desalination plant, in which was found several leaks. The desalination plant is used to periodically remove the salts from glycol which is used for hydrate and corrosion control in gas pipelines from three offshore fields.

Particularly challenging in this case study is that the high-grade titanium spool would be expected to resist any form of corrosion in this service. After being given the complete case study, the teams were tasked to include the following in their submissions:

  • Propose credible root causes for the observed defects and describe the potential failure scenarios
  • Explain how you would perform a corrosion risk assessment to determine if the plant is safe to operate
  • Identify what mitigation options could be applied to prolong the service life of this section of the desalination plant
  • Propose alternative materials of construction for replacement pipe spools and describe the basis for the selection
  • Describe what other factors should be considered in your assessment and propose possible longer-term solution(s)

The case study – presentation and judging

The teams presented their case studies to a panel of judges (Sadegh Parvizi, Chris Williams, and John Boran) on 12th November 2020. Each 20-minute presentation was followed by five minutes allotted for questioning. While no team was allowed into the presentation meeting before their time, they were permitted to remain in the meeting to hear subsequent teams present.

The presentations began at 5pm after registration and introductions. Would presenting first be best? To get your presentation completed and then relax to watch others? Or maybe presenting last would be more advantageous – with extra time to do those last-minute preparations and practice? Or would each team feel the added pressure of more eyes on them as the evening progressed?

When the final presentation had been made, the presentation session was called to a close. During a 20-minute break in proceedings, the judges deliberated, cogitated, and digested the tremendous presentations they had been served in seven courses (sorry, we couldn’t resist pinching from Lloyd Grossman’s Master Chef catchphrase!).

To be honest, there was very little to choose between the case study tasks completed. Each team’s findings had terrific merit – a testament to their mentorship, the lectures they had attended, and the collaborative capability of each team.

The deciding factor came down to presentation: the clarity and precision with which the winning team delivered its findings and answered the challenging questions posed by the judges.

And the winning team… Drum roll…

Team number four, mentored by Tasos Kostrivas, and comprising:

  • Ryan Cobbs, civil engineer at Mott MacDonald
  • Izabela Gajewska, corrosion engineer at Intertek
  • Harry Wright, corrosion engineer at Element
  • Praveena Nkumaran, mechanical engineer at Worley Parsons
  • Lemoine Vincent, welding engineer at Saipem

The grand prize – the fully expensed trip to the AMPP Annual Conference & Expo 2022

Because of Covid, the delivery of the grand prize was unavoidably delayed by a year. Nevertheless, the winning team – unfortunately minus Praveena who was unable to attend – set out off for San Antonio in Texas for the AMPP Annual Conference & Expo in March 2022.

For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. For only a select few young engineers, their attendance is fully expensed, courtesy of YEP sponsor BP.

This event is the largest of its kind in the corrosion world. There are more than 500 technical paper presentations, almost 500 exhibitors, opportunities to gain credits toward career development, and the chance to hear from some of the best corrosion professionals on the planet – as well as meet and connect with peers from around the globe.

And it wasn’t only these four young engineers who attended the conference and expo in San Antonio. Thanks to the sponsorship of Pipeline Induction Heat, James McGladdery (National Nuclear Laboratory) and Benjamin Lee (SGN) were selected to join the AMPP Leadership Course for their performance during the programme.

The YEP experience through the winners’ eyes

Winning at anything isn’t a cake walk. It takes hard work, effort, and determination. It takes learning and enthusiasm. How does YEP stand up to scrutiny from the inside?

Here’s what Izabela Gajewska said about her experience:

“Taking part in 2020 Young Engineer Programme was an amazing experience and a great opportunity for networking. All lectures were interesting and very educational. I got an opportunity to learn more about areas of the industry that I am not involved a lot in my daily job including welding, fire protection, and chemical treatments.

“It was a great experience to work on the case study with colleagues from different companies and industry branches. The ideas and a views of all team members were equally valuable, enhanced creativity, and were essential to solve the case study and prepare the final presentation. I enjoyed collaboration and brainstorming very much.

“During solving the case study I had to motivate myself to look through many valuable research papers and technical books recommended by my team colleagues and our mentor, Tasos Kostrivas. I had also a chance to see different approaches to solve corrosion issues thanks to the diversity of the industries in my team. Apart from this, I feel that I have improved my planning and communication skills, teamwork, did some good networking, and made new friends.

“I also was delighted to take part in the 2022 Annual Conference by NACE/AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance) in San Antonio, Texas and celebrate winning the Young Engineer Programme 2020 along with my team colleagues Vincent Lemoine, Ryan Cobbs, Harry Wright.

“One of my team colleagues, Praveena Nanthakumaran was not able to attend. Fortunately, she will be able to attend the next NACE/AMPP conference in Denver next year, and celebrate her well-deserved trip to the conference in the United States.

“For me, the highlight of the NACE/AMPP conference was the EMERGing Leaders Bash which included recognition and celebration, acknowledging the accomplishments of 2022 scholarship and award recipients including my winning team and two other colleagues accepted for the NACE/AMPP Leadership Programme:  James McGladdery and Ben Lee. It was an honour to be a part of this amazing and inspiring evening.”

To the present – a case study to whet the appetite

The 2022 YEP cohort have another real-life case study to become immersed in. This year’s candidates will be presenting in Aberdeen (held here for the first time, and aptly so). They have been asked to provide a corrosion risk assessment of a platform in the North Sea for a client who is planning to acquire the asset. But:

  • Corrosion on the platform has been poorly managed during the past 15 years, resulting in several hydrocarbon leaks
  • The teams must determine and present solutions to extend the life of the platform for another 10 years, making the exercise a real challenge
  • They must also identify materials selection for a new pipeline

A challenging, real-life case study that will help all the young engineers involved improve their learning and prove their competence. A fantastic addition to any CV.

To the future – it’s time to start thinking about pre-enrolment for YEP

Demand for places in the Institute of Corrosion’s Young Engineer Programme is always high. Benefitting from lectures given by some of the industry’s brightest minds, offering the chance to network and collaborate with some of the industry’s upcoming stars, and the opportunity to be rewarded with an incredible, fully expensed experience, it is not difficult to understand why.

If you are at an early stage of your career in the corrosion industry and would welcome extra experience to set you up for the future, please contact the Institute of Corrosion. We would be pleased to answer your questions and provide details of how you may pre-enrol for our next YEP cohort.

Don’t forget, also, to follow the Institute of Corrosion on our LinkedIn page – where we post regularly to keep the corrosion community updated.

If you’re not already, why not become a member of the Institute of Corrosion? We have many different membership options, including free student membership.

The 63rd Corrosion Science Symposium at Electrochem 2022: All You Need to Know

The 63rd Corrosion Science Symposium at Electrochem 2022: All You Need to Know

Blogs, Corrosion Science Division, PFP

Who Will Be Presented the Lionel Shreir and Galloway Awards This Year?

The Corrosion Science Symposium has been on a long journey through Covid. The 61st Symposium was forced to move online in 2020. While it was a remarkable success in its new format, we had hoped to return to business as usual in 2021. We did our best, but with the Covid laws that existed last year, the best we could do was a hybrid 62nd symposium – a residential option with live streaming, while ensuring we could deliver to our international membership and others in the corrosion community.

This year we are back to how our membership meets best, and in some style – and we’re seeking your input!

In person, and in Edinburgh

The 63rd Corrosion Science Symposium will be held as part of Electrochem 2022, a conference organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Electrochemistry and Electroanalytical Sensing Systems interest groups, and the Society of Chemical Industry’s Electrochemical Technology Group.

As part of this, our Corrosion Science Symposium will take place on the 5th and 6th September. It’s the perfect opportunity for students and researchers in corrosion science and engineering to get together, network, and discuss their work. You’ll have the chance to share news, views, and ideas, and improve your own learning and knowledge.

What better city for our symposium than Edinburgh? What better venue than the John McIntyre Conference Centre?

This purpose-built conference and meeting venue can accommodate up to 330 delegates. With state-of-the-art audio visuals, a configurable plenary room, four large meeting rooms, executive boardrooms, a stunning view across Arthur’s Seat, and an exceptional bar for end-of-day socialising, this is a superb setting.

It’s not the place, it’s the people. It’s you.

Edinburgh’s John McIntyre Centre is a stimulating place for us all to meet. But not as stimulating as the people who gather here.

With delegates expected from around the world, you’ll be in the company of some of the finest and most forward-thinking, up-and-coming minds from all areas of corrosion science and engineering.

Presentations and discussions have never failed to inspire at the symposium, and the friendly, informal environment is highly conducive to making new acquaintances ─ and beginning life-long friendships within the industries we serve.

An opportunity to recognise excellence in the field of corrosion

The Institute of Corrosion’s Corrosion Science Symposium isn’t only an event for informal learning and networking. It has become synonymous with recognising student talent.

There are two awards directly connected with the Symposium: the Galloway Award and the Lionel Shreir Award.

The Lionel Shreir Award – Last call for submissions

This award is presented to the student who gives the best presentation at the Corrosion Science Symposium. It is awarded to the student(s) judged to have performed best across the following criteria when making their presentation:

  • Distinctiveness, originality, and creativity of research – impact on corrosion discipline
  • Knowledge of corrosion science and practice
  • Clarity of presentation and rapport with the CSS audience
  • Clarity when answering questions

All student presenters at the Corrosion Science Symposium are eligible to win this award of a certificate and cheque for £125.

Could you be this year’s Lionel Shreir Award winner?

To be considered to present at the Corrosion Science Symposium, please submit a 200-word abstract that details a 10-minute talk you would like to give at this year’s symposium before 8th July 2022. We’ll let you know if yours has been selected for presentation in plenty of time ahead of the symposium.

For the opportunity to be awarded the highly sought-after certificate and cash prize, send your abstract to j.a.wharton@soton.ac.uk.

The Galloway Award – We’re seeking submissions

Originally presented for either the best essay submission or work project report, the Galloway Award was first presented in 1976, and reinstated in 1998 in memory of Jack Galloway, a founder Member of the British Association of Corrosion Engineers (BACE) and former Chair of BACE Council.

The award of a certificate, a cheque for £300, and publication of the winning article in the Institute’s Corrosion Management magazine is given to the submission of the best submitted or published paper from the previous 12 months.

Have you produced award-winning work?

We are seeking submissions of copies of students’ published or submitted papers from the last 12 months. The student should be the primary author of the paper. Supervisors may nominate students. Submissions for the award will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Distinctiveness, originality, and creativity of research – impact on corrosion discipline
  • Contribution to corrosion science and practice
  • Clarity of presentation

As well as receiving the Galloway Award, the winning student will be invited to present his or her work at the Symposium.

Submissions should be made to the Corrosion Science Division Chair, Dr Julian Wharton by email to j.a.wharton@soton.ac.uk.

If you would like further information about the Institute of Corrosion awards, please click here.

To learn more about Electrochem 2022 and register to attend the event, please click here.

Corrosion Science Division (CSD)

Corrosion Science Division, Latest News

Corrosion Science Symposium Report

The 61st Corrosion Science Symposium (CSS) was held online this year via Zoom between the 14th and 16th September. The CSS has been held annually since its launch in 1960 by Prof. L.L. Shreir, and is an ideal opportunity for students and younger researchers in corrosion science from across Europe to congregate, discuss their work, share ideas and, above all enjoy themselves in a stimulating/friendly environment. This year there were 17 oral presentations and the UR Evans award plenary talk.

Some highlights of the symposium included the talk by Mariana Folena (University of Leeds) who gave an interesting overview of her work studying rapid screen techniques for thiols as volatile corrosion inhibitors in real time monitoring carbon dioxide top-of-line corrosion. To date, no studies have been conducted to understand the efficiency of smaller thiol chains, nor the extent to which thiols partition into the condensate phase of the system. Mariana presented two new techniques to improve the understanding of the mechanism of volatile corrosion inhibitors; a biochemical method to quantify sulphydryl groups, and a miniature electrode cell configuration for real time corrosion monitoring and quantification of inhibitor adsorption kinetics. The new assay is rapid, cheap and can monitor the extent to which thiol-based chemistries partition into the condensate.

David Ruis-Izuriaga (University of Manchester) reported on his studies using near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) to gain insights into sweet (carbon dioxide) corrosion mechanisms. Specifically, the NAP-XPS has been utilised to study in situ the interaction of carbon dioxide and water with an iron substrate.

Anastasija Lazareva (University of Leeds) gave a good overview into recent new insights into the initiation and propagation of localised corrosion of X65 pipeline steel in sweet corrosion in the presence of an evolving iron carbonate layer. Anastasija found that localised corrosion initiation takes place at the early stages of iron carbonate evolution and propagates further when full coverage of the carbonate surface is achieved.

The UR Evans award plenary talk was given by Prof Robert Cottis from the University of Manchester. The UR Evans Award is the Institute’s premier scientific award and is awarded annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to corrosion science and engineering. The award is in the form of an engraved sword and is presented at the annual Corrosion Science Symposium. The form of the Award symbolises the fight in which we are all engaged. Prof Cottis gave a detailed personal reflection of electrochemical noise – what is it and what it can tell us. He reviewed its history to study corrosion over the past 50 years, and highlighted that it still remains unclear whether there are generic interpretation methods that can provide useful information. The plenary elegantly introduced the various measurement methods of the technique, considered some of the source of noise, including the noise due to individual elementary reactions, pitting corrosion, bubble evolution, and turbulent flow. From these theoretical approaches the interpretation of the electrochemical noise was developed. Prof Cottis concluded by discussing the broad range of heuristic methods that have been developed and commented on their applicability.

The Shreir Prize is awarded to the best oral presentation by a registered student at the CSS. This year the prize was won by Christos Kousis (Swansea University) for his talk entitled ‘An investigation of the effect of chloride ion concentration on the localised corrosion of the E717 Mg alloy’. Christos gave an insightful talk on using an in situ scanning vibrating electrode technique, coupled with time-lapse imaging, to study E717 Mg corrosion behaviour. The intensity of the localised anodes is highly dependent on the chloride ion concentration, where higher anodic current density values are observed with increasing chloride ion concentration. In addition, volumetrically-determined hydrogen evolution rate is also shown to increase with increasing chloride concentration. Christos was able to utilise his imaging methods to effectively highlight the underlying mechanistic processes with good clarity.

The 62nd CSS will be a joint meeting with Advances in Corrosion Protection by Organic Coatings to be held in Cambridge (Christs’ College) between the 5th and 9th September 2021. Further details on registration and abstract submission will be announced shortly.

The 63rd Corrosion Science Symposium at Electrochem 2022: All You Need to Know

61st Corrosion Science Symposium (Online)

Corrosion Science Division, Latest News

The 61st Corrosion Science Symposium (CSS) will be held online during the week commencing Monday 14th September 2020.  The CSS Online is the annual meeting for students and researchers working in all areas of Corrosion Science and Engineering.  The CSS has been held annually since its launch in 1960 by Prof. L.L. Shreir. Holding a physical event was not going to be possible this year but we believe it is important to keep the CSS running even during these COVID times.  There will be no charge for the event.

To register for the event please visit the Eventbrite page:  61st Corrosion Science Symposium

Abstracts are still being accepted.  Please contact Julian Wharton (j.a.wharton@soton.ac.uk) if you wish to submit an abstract.

With the alternative online arrangements, we plan a programme of several sessions staggered through the week.  Each session will focus on a series of short (10 min) presentations with extended abstracts made available beforehand.  The sessions will be immediately followed by more in-depth online open forum discussion with the presenters.

A key highlight for every CSS is U.R. Evans plenary talk and presentation of the award.  The UR Evans Award is the most prestigious ICorr award and recognises outstanding contributions to corrosion science and engineering.  This year the award is being made to Prof Robert Cottis.  Prof Cottis has been a champion of corrosion education throughout his entire career with seminal contributions within UMIST/University of Manchester and activities linked to the European Federation of Corrosion (EFC) WP6 Corrosion Education and NACE International.

Download Presentation Programme

 

 

The 63rd Corrosion Science Symposium at Electrochem 2022: All You Need to Know

Corrosion Science Symposium – Same Prestige in a New Format for 2020

Blogs, Conferences and Events, Corrosion Science Division

Corrosion Science Symposium – The Same Prestige in a New Format for 2020

Could your abstract win the Lionel Shreir Award?

The Corrosion Science Symposium is one of the premier events in the Institute of Corrosion’s calendar. This year, circumstances looked like causing it to be cancelled. However, we’ve discovered that coronavirus, lockdown and social distancing are no match for innovative minds, willpower, and technology.

It’s not going to be quite the same as in previous years. But we think you’ll like what we’ve done to ensure the Corrosion Science Symposium is as equally engaging and enlightening an event as it has always been, since it was first held in 1959. The key to its success, as ever, is those who attend: you.

What is the Corrosion Science Symposium?

The Corrosion Science Symposium (CSS) has traditionally been a two-day event held in a prestigious location befitting of its status. The 60th CSS was held as part of Electrochem 2019, hosted by the University of Strathclyde’s Innovation Centre in Glasgow.

This is an informal meeting of the Corrosion Science Division in which corrosion scientists, corrosion engineers and PhD students can gather, receive talks on corrosion, and discuss relevant corrosion issues.

Though it is an informal event, the CSS does include certain formalities. Presentations of some of the Institute of Corrosion Awards are made during the CSS including:

  • The UR Evans Award – the premier scientific award of ICorr
  • The Lionel Shreir Award – for the outstanding student talk given during the CSS

A new format for new normal times

With a more unpredictable future than at any time in our history, the CSS has been moved from a physical space to cyberspace this year. While the exact format is still being finalised, we’ve set the date and the outline format.

We’re going online, but, rather than what we believe would be an intense two days of sitting in front of a screen, we’re extending to three or four sessions during the week beginning 14th September 2020.

Nearer the date, we’ll announce the exact format, times, and technology we’ll be using. One thing is for certain, though – being online, the CSS will be more accessible this year than it has ever been. Consequently, we are expecting many more international students to take part, and that could lead to some exciting competition for the Lionel Shreir Award.

What is the Lionel Shreir Award?

Lionel Louis Shreir set incredibly high standards during a career spanning engineering, research and education. A recipient of the UR Evans Award in 1978, he is, perhaps, best remembered for his encouragement and mentorship of young authors attempting to write papers.

It is fitting, therefore, that the Lionel Shreir Award is presented to the student who gives the best presentation at the CSS, with criteria for the award being:

  • The originality and creativity of research
  • Knowledge of corrosion science and practice
  • Clarity of presentation and rapport with audience
  • Clarity when answering questions

Get involved with the 61st CSS

Last year, presentations at the CSS included:

  • David Kumar (University of Bristol), who gave an interesting overview of his work on hot water corrosion issues related to fusion reactor cooling circuits
  • Mariana Folena (University of Leeds) reported on her studies into the role of acetic acid in CO2 top of line corrosion using real-time corrosion measurements
  • Jessica Moulton (University of Manchester) gave a good overview into her recent studies modelling the behaviour of aluminium flakes in marine coatings using agar gels
  • Amelia Langley (University of Bath) – the eventual winner of the Lionel Shreir Award for her talk entitled ‘Chaotic copper corrosion: the influence of dissolved gas on the anodic passivation of copper in model seawater’

We are now accepting submissions of abstracts for this year’s CSS. All you need to do is to send a 200-word abstract of a 10-minute presentation/talk you’d like to give. We’ll review the abstracts, and select those that we believe can be coordinated into a cohesive programme of presentations through the week.

The winner of the Lionel Shreir Award is selected during the CSS, and we currently plan to present the award online on the final evening – though we must still figure out the logistics of doing so!

To enter your abstract, please send to j.a.wharton@soton.ac.uk by Friday 17th July 2020. Those selected will then be contacted and asked to send an extended abstract by Friday 28th August.