Corrosion Inhibition Study of Mild Steel in the Acidic Mediums Containing a Mineral Compound-Based Phosphate

Abstract

The corrosion inhibition of mild steel in hydrochloric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acids solutions containing a mineral compound-based phosphate (apatite) was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Potentio-dynamic polarization measurements reveal that the inhibition efficiency increased with the concentration of the apatite, which appears to be a cathodic type inhibitor in the three mediums. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirms this result; indeed, the transfer resistance increases with apatite concentration. The authors note that the double layer capacitance decreases simultaneously suggesting the formation of an adsorbed layer on the mild steel surface. The inhibition mechanism has been elucidated by a thermodynamic study, which showed that the film was formed by physi-sorption. The adsorption model obeys to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The parameters of activation energy were evaluated and discussed.