Effectiveness of Irvingia wombolu extract on corrosion inhibition of mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

Abstract

The recent demand for the use of natural environmentally friendly agricultural wastes, as inhibitors for corrosion mitigation, informed this research. The study explores the potential of Irvingia wombolu at concentrations of 0.2 g l−1, 0.5 g l−1, and 1 g l−1, as an alternative inhibitor of mild steel corrosion in corrosive environments. This study investigates the corrosion behavior of mild steel in 1.5 M hydrochloric acid solution at different solution temperatures (299 K and 303 K) and immersion times (2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 10 h, and 12 h) using weight loss technique, x-ray fluorescence, and Fourier Transformation Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results showed increasing corrosion rate of the mild steel in hydrochloric acid without extract addition, with increasing temperature (from 299 K to 303 K) and immersion time (2 h to 12 h). The corrosion rate decreased with increasing immersion time with extract addition. The extract demonstrated an effective inhibition, with maximum inhibition efficiency of 97.87% obtained at 1 g l−1 extract, lower solution temperature (299 K), and longer immersion time (12 h). FTIR analysis revealed the interaction of extract molecules with the mild steel surface. The results showed that Irvingia wombolu effectively inhibits the corrosion of mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution.