Prof. Giordano Trabanelli
Prof. Giordano Trabanelli died on 31 October 2014 at his home in Ferrara. He, Emeritus Professor of the University of Ferrara, was an internationally well-known and highly esteemed scientist in the field of corrosion and corrosion inhibition. He got his degree in Chemistry at the University of Ferrara and started his academic career in Prof. Leo Cavallaro group, working in the field of metal corrosion and corrosion protection. From 1956, he assisted the birth and growth of the “A. Daccò” Corrosion Study Centre of which he became Director in the period 1970-2003. With his scientific activity, he brought significant progression in the comprehension of corrosion and corrosion inhibition mechanisms. In particular, he addressed the issues of inhibition of general and localized forms of corrosion by organic compounds, investigated from both a theoretical and a practical point of view, and highlighted many aspects of the relationship between molecular structure and inhibitor performances.
Notwithstanding the infirmity, which struck him at the apogee of his career, he continued to work at the Corrosion Study Centre with unchanged enthusiasm for a long time, supported by his great fortitude and a Christian vision of the life. His collaborators, like many other people, owe much to him and always will remember his great humanity, courage and inexhaustibility, coupled to scientific excellence.
The scientific work of Prof. Trabanelli is documented by more than 350 papers, many of them still cited, such as the reviews on corrosion inhibitors “Mechanism and Phenomenology of Organic Inhibitors (Advances in Corrosion Science and Technology”, Vol. 1, p.147-228, Plenum Press, 1970);”Corrosion Inhibitors Corrosion Mechanism”, p. 119-163, F. Mansfeld Ed., Marcel Dekker Inc. 1987),”Fundamental and general Aspects of Inhibition Science”(CORROSION 89, paper n.133, 17-21 April 1989, New Orleans, Louisiana);”Inhibitors, An Old Remedy for a New Challenge” (Corrosion, 1991, 47, 410-419). This research activity was greatly appreciated by the community of corrosionists that assigned him many international awards, such as Grande Médaille du CEFRACOR (1973); Médaille Cavallaro (1983); NACE Whitney Award (1991); AIM, Medaglia di Titanio (2002); Honorary Membership of the EFC (2003). He was also appointed to cover important roles, such as Chairman of' the International Corrosion Council (1983-1987) and Chairman of EFC WP 1 on Corrosion and Scale Inhibition.
Every 5 years from 1960 to 2005, he organized ten very successful European Symposia on Corrosion Inhibitors at the University of Ferrara. He founded and directed the Specialization School in Science and Technology of Corrosion Phenomena (1968-2001) as well as the International School of Corrosion (1982-1988), both organized at the University of Ferrara.
