A comparative study of the efficiency of some organic inhibitors for the corrosion of copper in aqueous chloride media using electrochemical and surface enhanced Raman scattering techniques

Abstract

The efficiency of four selected corrosion inhibitors (benzimidazole, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, benzotriazole and 2-mercaptobenzoxazole) for the corrosion inhibition of copper in aqueous chloride media is investigated using electrochemical and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic techniques. To a first approximation the rate of loss of SERS intensity at open circuit is seen to be related to the rate of corrosion. Competitive adsorption of halide and corrosion inhibitors as well as of mixtures of inhibitors is also readily observed. A qualitative model at the molecular level of the copper surface is obtained.