Abstract: This invention relates to metal surfaces and a method for reducing fouling of metal surfaces. More particularly, metal surfaces such as piping and heat exchangers that transport or contain corrosive and contaminated materials can be protected by formation of organometallic coatings which are in the range of monolayers in thickness.

Abstract: The corrosion rate of a metal immersed in a fluid medium is measured by transmission of a beam of radiation normally in the visible or near infra-red portion of the spectrum, through a thin film of the metal immersed in the medium. The film of the metal is suitably supported on a radiation-transmitting substrate such as a glass plate or slide. The corrosion rate can be determined by passing a radiation beam through the metal film sample using a twin beam system to compensate for instrument factors such as the absorbance by the fluid medium, the cell windows and the film-supporting substrate. As the thickness of the film decreases, the reduction in film thickness is determined by the increase in beam intensity, using a reference beam to compensate for the instrument factors.