(6dn) Corrosion Mitigation and Wastewater Treatment

Research Interests:

• Study of performance of volatile corrosion inhibitors for prevention of top of the line corrosion and black powder formation in oil and export gas pipelines.
• Study of adsorption of corrosion inhibitors using in-situ electrochemical/atomic force spectroscopy.
• Mitigation of scale formation using green inhibitors.
• Evaluation of an electrochemical approach to recover nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) waste as a solid slow release fertilizer product.

Successfully Completed Research Proposals:

- TLC-Mitigation JIP funded by five industrial oil and gas companies with budget of $600K, 2017-2020

- Understanding and using corrosion inhibitors project funded by Total with budget of $690K, 2019-2021.

- Reduction of Nutrient Runoff from CAFO Waste Land, the Ohio Water Development Authority (2016 R&D grant).

- Black powder formation project funded by Petroleum Institute of Abu Dhabi with budget of $900K, 2015-2016.

Research Experience:

• Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology (ICMT)

Supervisors: Dr. Srdjan Nesic and Dr. Marc Singer

My research focuses on methods to reduce and prevent corrosion and scaling in oil and gas pipelines, in particular, mitigation of Top-of-the-Line Corrosion and black powder formation using volatile corrosion inhibitor. Some results of this project have been reported in the US patent application (US20170233637A1). In addition, I am using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study adsorbed morphologies of corrosion inhibitors on metal surfaces. The objective of this work is to provide a better understanding of the inhibition mechanism by coupling in situ electrochemical (EC) methods with AFM.

• Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment (ISEE)

Supervisor: Dr. Jason Trembly

My research focuses on developing methods to recover nutrients from CAFO waste using electrochemical techniques. My research goal is to demonstrate that it is possible to use the electrochemical processes to recover N and P from CAFO waste as a solid slow release fertilizer product (MgNH₄PO₄∙6H₂O). Results of this project have been published in Journal of the Electrochemical Society.

• Laboratory Interfaces and Electrochemical Systems, La Sorbonne University, France

PhD advisor: Dr. Bernard Tribollet

My PhD work focused on the development of a new green inhibitor, Paronychia Argentea extract for reducing calcium carbonate scale formation on metallic surfaces. One of the outcomes of my PhD research was to understand the mechanism of formation of calcium carbonate layers. The second outcome of my research was to study performance of scaling inhibitors to mitigate formation of calcium carbonate. In addition, I used the Comsol Multiphysics^® for 2D and 3D modeling of calcium carbonate deposits and mass transfer at the interface solid/solution. The results of my research led to a US Patent: US 9234166 B2, 2016.

Teaching Interests:

Aside from research, I am passionate about teaching. My first opportunity to teach students was as a laboratory instructor for pharmaceutical engineering at the Bejaia University (2008-2009) when I was completing my MS degree. During the fall 2017, I taught an undergraduate level course “Principles of Engineering Materials" at the College of Engineering, Ohio University. This class is taken by students from different majors: civil, chemical, mechanical engineering and industrial and system engineering. I have trained and mentored undergraduate and graduate students in planning, assigning and scheduling fall test matrix, reviewing results to ensure quality standards.

Future Directions:

To create the next generation of materials and technologies to address critical challenges in environment sustainability, petroleum engineering, advanced manufacturing and durability of engineering materials, we need to create new methodologies and research partnerships that will address these challenges. Therefore, my work will involve understanding of materials and theirs interactions with environment at the nanoscale level. I would like to unite the knowledge that I obtained from the topics that I worked on during my Ph.D. and postdoc: scale and corrosion inhibition and recovery of nutrient from animal waste water.

As faculty I would like to work in the area of electrochemical corrosion diagnosis and control of structure in aggressive environment, and use the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to study the performance of corrosion inhibitor, the coatings, and characterize metallic and advanced materials. The overall objective is to use my expertise in corrosion and electrochemistry to develop practical mitigation methods involving corrosion inhibitors and coating that can protect metals form corrosion.

Atomic force spectroscopy (AFM) has proved to be a powerful tool for investigating the surface structure, the changes in surface morphology of materials. My ambition is to use in-situ AFM couple with electrochemical technic to study for example the effects of the addition of nanoparticles and nanoreinforcements to cement and identity the electronic and mechanical proprieties of nanoengineered and nanocomposites materials. As well, study the structural proprieties of nanomaterial.

I would like also to use my expertise in AFM, electrochemistry and water treatment to seek new opportunities for collaborative, multidisciplinary research projects. In particular, I hope to expand my involvement in international research programs.

I would like to work on projects funded by agencies, such as the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation / PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration). Such efforts would necessarily entail a better understanding of the processes involved in applying for and maintaining grants from Federal bodies. With these grants, I can work on projects “looking into the future” and those are not directly applicable to the industry but are at more fundamental level. In addition, national recruitment should also be encouraged and I propose to set up an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) within the related research institute.

I look forward to officially supervising graduate students, leading or participating in PhD and MS degree committees, as well as contributing to the administrative functions of the
department.

Patents

1. Nesic, M. Singer, F. Farelas, T. N. Vu, D. Young, Z. Belarbi, “Methods for Inhibiting Metal Corrosion”, US 20170233637A1, 2017
2. Gamby, Z. Belarbi, L. Chaal, F. Chaussec, L. Makhloufi, B. Saidani, B. Tribollet, B. Sotta, “Manufacturing process for a vegetal matter-based anti-lime scale product “, US 9234166 B2, 2016

Publication in peer-reviewed journals

1. Z. Belarbi, J. Dominguez Olivo, F. Farelas, D. Young, M. Singer, S. Nesic; submitted to Corrosion journal (2019)
2. Z. Belarbi, J. P. Trembly, Journal of the Electrochemical Scociety, 165 (2018) (13) E685-E693
3. Belarbi, T. N. Vu, F. Farelas, D. Young, M. Singer, S. Nesic; Corrosion 73 (7) (2017)892-899
4. Belarbi, F. Farelas, M. Singer, S. Nesic; Corrosion 72 (10) (2016)1300-1310
5. Belarbi, J. Gamby, L. Makhloufi, B. Tribollet; Electrochimica Acta 189 (2016) 118-127
6. Belarbi, J.Gamby, L. Makhloufi, B. Sotta, B. Tribollet; Journal of Crystal growth 386 (2014) 208-214
7. Belarbi, J. Gamby, L. Makhloufi, B. Tribollet; Electrochimica Acta 109 (2013) 623-629

Conference Papers

1. Belarbi, J. Dominguez Olivo, F. Farelas, D. Young, M. Singer, S. Nesic; CORROSION/2019, paper no. 13184 (Nashville, Tennessee, NACE, 2019)
2. M. Sani, Z. Belarbi, B. Brown, S. Nesic; CORROSION/2019, paper no. 13026 (Nashville, Tennessee, NACE, 2019)
3. Singer, F. Farelas, Z. Belarbi, S. Punpruk, A. Jenkins; CORROSION/2019, paper no. 13303 (Nashville, Tennessee, NACE, 2019)
4. Belarbi, F. Farelas, D. Young, M. Singer; CORROSION/2018, paper no. 10823 (Phoenix, Arizona, NACE, 2018)
5. Belarbi, D. Young, N. Nesic, R. Nogueira, M. Singer; CORROSION/2018, paper no. 10962 (Phoenix, Arizona, NACE, 2018)
6. Belarbi, T. N. Vu, F. Farelas, D. Young, M. Singer; CORROSION/2017, paper no. 9096 (New Orleans, Louisiana, NACE, 2017)
7. Belarbi, B. Brown, M. Singer; CORROSION/2017, paper no. 9290 (New Orleans, Louisiana, NACE, 2017)
8. Belarbi, F. Farelas, M. Singer, S. Nešić; CORROSION/2016, paper no. 7274 (Vancouver, BC: NACE, 2016)
9. Belarbi, J. Gamby, B. Sotta, L. Makhloufi, F. Chaussec, B. Tribollet; 21st Day Information Water, 4 - 6 November, 2014. Poitiers, France
10. Belarbi, J. Gamby, B. Tribollet, L. Makhloufi; 20th Day Information Water, 25 - 27 September, 2012. Poitiers, France