Chemical and Electrochemical Studies on the Areca Fat as a Novel and Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitor for Industrially Important Materials in Hostile Fluid Environments

Abstract

In the present study, the influence of the constituents of Areca fat as a sustainable green corrosion inhibitor for copper and mild steel, metals in both hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions was evaluated with the aid of weight loss and Tafel plot techniques. Results of gravimetric (weight loss) study depicted that the protection efficiency enhanced with increment in the concentration of Areca fat in test solutions. Inhibitive modality of Areca fat is acknowledged due to adsorption of their organic moieties on metal surfaces, which effectively boost the corrosion-resisting nature of study metals in both acid and base systems. Solution temperature and immersion periods are an important parameter in the studies of dissolution of metals. The effect of test solution temperature and contact time on protection efficiency of inhibitor was also thoroughly assessed. Thermodynamic (K ads, and $$\Delta G_{\text{ads}}^{{^\circ }}$$ ) and kinetic ( $$E_{\text{a}}^{ *}$$ , $$\Delta H^{*}$$ and $$\Delta S^{*}$$ ) parameters for adsorption process were evaluated and discussed, which provided further insight into the corrosion protection efficiencies determined experimentally. Functional groups accountable for corrosion inhibition process were identified via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique. The probable inhibitory mechanism was further corroborated by results obtained from polarization (Tafel plots) studies, which confirms the blockage of electrode surfaces by Areca fat constituents via adsorption mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique was applied to confirm the protective role of Areca fat on mild steel and copper metal surfaces. The chemical and electrochemical (Tafel plot) results were also being supplemented by SEM studies.