Utilization of a nonionic surfactant for improved corrosion resistance of carbon steel in simulated fuel-grade ethanol

• Published in: RSC advances Vol. 8; no. 37; pp. 2996 - 211
• Main Author: Deyab, M. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 01-01-2018; The Royal Society of Chemistry
• Subjects: Adsorption; Carbon steel; Carbon steels; Castor oil; Chemistry; Chloride ions; Corrosion inhibitors; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion resistant steels; Electrochemical analysis; Ethanol; Organic chemistry; Polarization; Quantum chemistry; Scanning electron microscopy; Surfactants
• ISSN: 2046-2069; 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ra02936a

In this study, a nonionic surfactant (PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Abbrev. PEG-40 HCO) was used to improve the corrosion resistance of carbon steel in simulated fuel-grade ethanol (SFGE). The studies were conducted using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and potentiodynamic polarization techniques and complemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations. The presence of water and chloride ions in SFGE strongly influences the electrochemical behavior of carbon steel. Polarization curves indicate that PEG-40 HCO has good inhibition efficiency and behaves as a mixed inhibitor. The inhibition efficiency increases with the concentration of PEG-40 HCO within the range of 20 to 100 ppm, reaching a maximum value of 93.8%. The adsorption of PEG-40 HCO obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Quantum chemical calculations were evaluated to confirm experimental results.
In this study, a nonionic surfactant (PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Abbrev. PEG-40 HCO) was used to improve the corrosion resistance of carbon steel in simulated fuel-grade ethanol (SFGE).