Synthesis, Characterization, Thermodynamic Analysis and Quantum Chemical Approach of Branched N, N′-bis(p-hydroxybenzoyl)-Based Propanediamine and Triethylenetetramine for Carbon Steel Corrosion Inhibition in Hydrochloric Acid Medium

Abstract

AbstractThe influence of branched N, N′-bis(p-hydroxybenzoyl) containing propylenediamine (PDA) and triethylenetetramine (TETA) composites for corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in acidic solution (1 M HCl) was investigated using several quantum chemical, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization as electrochemical techniques. The investigated molecules were posteriorly characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) while the surfaces of carbon steel test coupons were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The obtained results revealed that the two amino compounds, N, N′-bis(p-hydroxybenzoyl) propanediamine (N, N′-HBPDA) and N, N′-bis(p-hydroxybenzoyl) triethylenetetramine (N, N′-HBTETA), have significant efficiency toward steel corrosion attack and its inhibition performance was significantly boosted by increasing concentration of di- and tetramine containing inhibitors. The two inhibitors achieved a maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency of 99.1% as indicated from polarization measurements. The isotherm feature of Langmuir adsorption appeared to be proper factor for associating the experimental gains with an applicable mechanism of inhibition process. The free energy ∆Gads was calculated to be − 27.5, 29.1 kJ/mol based on the adsorption isotherm model, indicating physical adsorption on the carbon steel surface. Further, images of the morphological analysis exhibited various features of attack owing to the aggressive medium and the employed concentration of the inhibitor. These synthesized amines supplied many favorable scores in the fabrication of functional mixed-type inhibitors. The computational studies reveal that N, N′-HBPDA and N, N′-HBTETA molecules could absorb via several lone pairs and π clouds, confirming their ability to be good corrosion inhibitors.