An Outline of Employing Metals and Alloys in Corrosive Settings with Ecologically Acceptable Corrosion Inhibitors

Abstract

Researchers have just discovered an alternative to synthetic corrosion inhibitors, which are hazardous and terrible for the ecosystem, to prevent rusting in the environment. A metal corrodes when it is subjected to corrosive media (acid, base, or saline) and they deteriorate, leading to failure. The most straightforward and affordable corrosion protection and prevention technique in acidic environments has been proven to be corrosion inhibitors. On industrial surfaces, pieces of machinery, or vessels, these inhibitors slow the rate of corrosion, preventing the monetary losses brought on by metallic corrosion. Recently, attention has been directed to developing ecologically appropriate corrosion retardation methods because inorganic and organic inhibitors are harmful and expensive. Recent studies have focused on green mild steel (MS) corrosion inhibitors that mimic industrial processes in acidic conditions. This presentation briefly covers the many types of corrosion, the corrosion process and the most recent studies on using natural plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors. Since they are safe and cost-effective, green corrosion inhibitors are a new trend in preventing corrosion. These inhibitors are produced from various plant parts, and inhibition efficiency (IE) also depends on them. To ascertain the IE of the corrosion inhibitor, some experiments, including computational studies (quantum calculations and MD simulations), electrochemical measurements (electrochemical impedance (EIS) and potentio-dynamic polarization), surface morphology atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and UV–visible spectroscopy are carried out. It has been demonstrated that the IE is maximum for green corrosion inhibitors compared to synthetic inhibitors. This paper provides an overview of the properties, mechanism of corrosion inhibitors, nature of green corrosion inhibitors and their IE obtained by performing tests. This review article discussion shows that reinforcement with plant extract performs well in aggressive environments, which is evident from electrochemical studies and surface analysis when compared to reinforcement with inhibitors.