Corrosion Inhibition of Acidic Corrosion of Mild Steel in Acidic Medium by Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride

The inhibition effect of Cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CTMAC) on the corrosion of mild steel in 0.5M hydrochloric acid solution was investigated at different temperatures using weight loss measurement, electrochemical polarization and scanning electron microscopy. Weight loss measurement and electrochemical polarization curves revealed that this surfactant inhibits the mild steel corrosion and inhibition efficiencies up to 98% can be obtained. The inhibition efficiency calculated from these techniques is in reasonably good agreement. The observed corrosion data indicate that the inhibition of mild steel corrosion is due to the adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the mild steel surface. The surface morphology of mild steel samples in absence and presence of the inhibitor was examined using scanning electron microscopy.