Testing the inhibition efficiency of the castor oil leaf as corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in H2SO4

Abstract

This study focused on the testing of castor oil leaf as corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in H2SO4. It involved the examination of the dynamics of molecular forces at the inhibitor and mild steel interface. Findings of the study will promote industrial diversification of castor oil leaf. On the experiment, bio-molecular compounds of the leaf were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrophotometer. Then, gravimetric and potentiodynamic polarization techniques were employed, where the efficacy and type of the inhibitor were determined. Considering the gravimetric process, factors of inhibitor concentration (0.2 g/L - 1.0 g/L), temperature (303 K – 333 K) and time (8 hrs – 24 hrs) were considered, with the inhibitor efficiency as the response. The efficiency was determined and optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). On the other hand, potentiodynamic polarization process was used to identify the type of inhibitor. Adsorption quantities were ascertained through the subjection of the experimental raw data to various adsorption isotherms. The analyses showed that castor oil leaf contains methyl nicotinate and pyridine-4-carbohydrazide. The bio-molecular compounds possess heteroatoms (N, S and O), signifying strong corrosion inhibitive tendencies. High efficiency (96.25 %) was obtained, with ANN having better prediction capability than the RSM. Potentiodynamic polarization curves revealed castor oil leaf as mixed-type inhibitor. On the adsorption phenomenon, the process of the inhibition was best fitted by Frumkin isotherm, revealing physical adsorption mechanism of Gibb’s free energy less than -40 kJ/mole. As a mixed-type inhibitor, castor oil leaf should be applied for mitigation of anodic and cathodic corrosion.