Generally, bacteria that grow on metal exposed to moisture often secrete proteins and carbohydrates that accelerate corrosion. But a few bacteria emit compounds that retard corrosion.

The various methods that can be used to protect a metallic system against corrosion can be widely divided into: thermodynamic protection, kinetic protection, barrier protection, environmental control, etc.

Corrosion in seawater is caused when metals react with minerals in the water and produce hydrogen sulfide. Current technologies make use of biocides and inhibitors to prevent the generation of hydrogen sulfide, but treating metals with these materials proves to be costly, ineffective and often causes toxicity to aquatic life.

Iron-sulfur geochemistry is important in many natural and engineered environments, including drinking water systems. In the anaerobic environment beneath scales of corroding iron drinking water distribution system pipes, sulfate-reducing bacteria produce sulfide from naturally occurring sulfate in the bulk water. This sulfide subsequently can affect iron geochemistry of the scale and the protective qualities of the scale.

Researchers at the Nanotechnology Research Institute at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, in collaboration with Yamagata University, have succeeded in producing gel electrolytes for use in a light-control glass device using nanoparticles of Prussian blue-type complexes.

For marine applications, mild steel remains the number one metal for constructional purposes by virtue of its relatively low cost, mechanical strength and ease of fabrication. Its main drawback is that is corrodes easily in seawater and unless adequately protected, rapidly loses strength which may result in structural failure.

PPG Industries' (NYSE:PPG) commercial coatings group has introduced ECK compound, which provides patented electrolysis corrosion "kontrol" proven to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion.

Air Liquide and Sixtron Advanced Materials announced an exclusive partnership to promote and distribute advanced coating materials to crystalline silicon ("c-Si") solar cell manufacturers worldwide.

Recently, Seattle-based Modumetal, Inc announced that it has signed an agreement with Indiana-based Steel Dynamics, Inc. (SDI) to advance the ModuGalv coating technology for application in long and sheet steel applications.

To clean up the growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, engineers have begun testing a new technique to stop the leaking oil from reaching the ocean surface.

• Batch
• Semi-continuous
• Continuous

ALD coatings are thin, conformal and pinhole-free and they closely follow the contours of the coated objects allowing the use of porous materials such as cardboard or fiber-structured bio-polymers. The thickness of ALD coatings can be adjusted to the accuracy of one atomic layer.

According to The New York Times article, many solar developments are solar thermal plants, not solar cells like those you would find installed on roof-tops. Solar thermal plants use mirrors to heat water, which creates steam, which in turn drives turbines to generate electricity.