3.2.1. Potentiodynamic Polarization Measurement
The results are organized in three distinct materials, i.e. Al-Si alloy, c.p. pure Al, and SAE 1020. Based on this organization, the discussion initiates with Al-Si alloy containing its corresponding potentiodynamic polarization curves followed by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), adsorption isotherm data and its tentative to explain the mechanism of inhibition.
Figure 1a depicts the resulting potentiodynamic polarization (PP) curves of as-cast Al-7.5 wt.% Si alloy in a stagnant and naturally aerated 0.5 M NaCl solution at environmental temperature (25 ± 3 °C). The Tafel’s method is used to obtain icorr with absence and containing distinct concentrations of the
D. maritima. From here, the green inhibitor is designated as “DRIMIA” to facilitate its nomenclature in discussion sections. The inhibition efficiencies based on the corrosion current densities, IE(i)%, are determined according to Equation (1), as previously described. The surface coverage (θ) values are also determined based on Equation (1) considering absolute value.
Figure 1b shows PP curves of Al-7.5 wt.% Si (Al-Si) alloy also immersed into a stagnant and naturally aerated 0.5 M NaCl (40 mL) containing distinct DRIMIA contents, 6 and 12 μL into 40 mL of electrolyte, i.e. 150 and 300 ppm, respectively.
Figure 1c,d depict the resulting PP curves of Al-Si alloy sample with three different DRIMIA contents, i.e. 625, 1250 and 1875 ppm, respectively. Although it is observed that 1875 ppm (i.e. 75μL in 40 mL of DRIMIA) provides a reasonable decreasing in the corrosion inhibition, a supersaturated concentration of 4000 μL/40 mL was soaked and its deleterious effect was observed.
Qualitative analyses among the obtained PP curves reveal that the examined samples with DRIMIA contents, the cathodic plateau tends to decrease. Associated with this, it is clearly observed that with the increase of green inhibitor content, the icorr decreases. This is verified up to 1250 ppm, as observed in
Table 2. Both the IE(i)% and θ are also demonstrated in
Table 2. It is remarked that from those error ranges of the icorr, the average values for all examined samples are considered.
The highest corrosion inhibition is attained when 1250 ppm of DRIMIA content is applied. Their inhibition efficiency is ~96%. This means that the absolute value of icorr has decreased ~24 x when compared with the blank sample. Although a concentration of 1875 ppm is lower ~4 x than the blank, it substantially decreases (~6x) their inhibition when compared with the sample soaked with 1250 ppm of DRIMIA. When a supersaturating of the DRIMIA content is applied (i.e. 100k ppm), it is confirmed that corrosion inhibitor is absence. A drastic corrosion action is provoked, i.e. the icorr severely increases of 5x when compared with the blank and both he IE and θ are not determined. These results induce that there exists a limit dosage (in ppm) of the proposed green corrosion inhibitor. To confirm this possible inhibition three concentrations are selected to be performed using heating solution, i.e. at 45 (± 3) °C.
Figure 2a–c show comparisons between results of potentiodynamic polarization (PP) curves of Al-Si alloy in a stagnant and naturally aerated 0.5 M NaCl solution at 25 (±3) and 45 (±3) °C in three distinct
Drimia maritima concentrations, i.e. containing 150, 625 and 1250 ppm, respectively. It is evidenced that at 45 °C, the inhibition corrosion efficiency is drastically decreased when compared with the results at 25 °C. However, with 626 and 1250 ppm, the inhibitions provided at 45 °C are achieved and slightly lower than the blank, i.e. 0.31 and 0.35 against 0.55 x 10
-6 A/cm
2. Also, it seems that the high temperature provokes an high level of oscillations in cathodic branches and slight higher plateau cathodic with anodic branches suggesting of about at −750 mV an abrupt “film breaking”, which was not observed when examined sample are subjected at 25
oC. This suggests a different “protection film formation” and its breaking and/or distinct absorption mechanism. However, no pitting potential is analyzed and these aforementioned assertions are speculative and a systematic experimentation should be carried. From this moment, it is only noticeable that slight differences in shapes of PP curves are observed. Forwardly, when EIS parameter will be discussed, the adsorption mechanism will be analyzed.
Table 3 clearly demonstrates that at 45
oC both the inhibition efficiency (IE) and surface coverage (θ) are substantially decreased when compared with same concentration at 25
oC. When hot temperature is considered, the corrosion inhibition (i.e. ~between 40 and 42%) reaches a plateau between 625 ppm and 1250 ppm. If error ranges are considered, it can be said that similar inhibition efficiencies are attained. However, it is slightly suggested that 1250 ppm is the limiting and certain degradation starts to be involved. With this, it is hardly suggested that at hot temperature the DRIMIA content must obligatory be evaluated to attain to a reasonable protection level.
Although it is difficulty to compare these results with previously reported considering Al alloys, it is accepted or recognized that hot temperature decreases the inhibition effect. The difficulty to compare is associated with different nature of electrolyte, e.g. acidified or alkalinized, material of substrate examined, and characteristic/nature of the inhibitor.
For instance, it was researched into literature some similar corrosion inhibitor for Al alloys and degradation of its inhibition in hot temperature, but no articles were achieved. However, for instance, Rugmini Ammal et al. [
48] have investigated the corrosion inhibition effect of HMATD (i.e. 4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzyledene amino)-4-H-1,2,4-triazole-3, 5-dimethanol) on mild steel in a 0.5M HCl solution. They have shown that the highest IE at 30
oC and at 45
oC, is achieved by using the same HMATD concentration (300 ppm). In another investigation [
49] using Al alloy and green corrosion inhibitor (
Spondias mombin L) immersed into 0.5M H
2SO
4 solution, the authors have also found that the highest IE values at 30 and 60
oC, are provided by the same concentration.
Wang et al [
50] have also found the highest IEs with the same green inhibitor concentration in different temperatures (20, 30, 40 and 50
oC). Evidently, all the three aforementioned studies, certain degradation levels are observed when a hot temperature is applied when compared with a colder (less warm) temperature. It seems that with the increase of the temperature, the DRIMIA inhibitor content should be revised and adjusted to new level of temperature applied. This seems to constitute a limitation to hot application of this kind of inhibition. Probably this seems to correlate with the adsorption mechanism, i.e. physisorption or chemisorption. This will forwardly be discussed.
3.2.2. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) Measurements
In order to provide more details concern to electrochemical behavior of the Al-Si alloy samples, EIS results are organized and discussed.
Figure 3 shows Bode, Bode – phase and Nyquist plots with its corresponding fitting by using CNLS simulation and equivalent circuit. It is remarked that EIS measurements are carried out before polarization. However, it is adopted its presentation after PP due to the more level of details provided.
Figure 3a,b depict the resulting Bode and Bode-phase plots and Nyquist plots of Al-Si in a stagnant and naturally aerated 0.5M NaCl at 25 (3)
oC with absence and containing distinctive concentration of
Drimia maritima (DRIMIA). A rapid qualitative analysis in these EIS plots it is clearly perceived that the DRIMIA provides corrosion inhibition. However, as also revealed by experimental PP curves, this inhibition has certain limit, i.e. up to 1250 ppm. When 1875 ppm and super dosage of DRIMIA (100k ppm) are utilized, the modulus of impedance (|Z|) and phase angle decrease. This suggests that inhibition efficiency is negatively affected. Quantitative analyses are provided when impedance parameters are obtained by using CNLS simulations. It is important to observe that EIS plots have similar format/shape with absence and containing inhibitor contents.
Figure 3c,d also demonstrate experimental results of Bode and Bode-phase plots and Nyquist plots of Al-Si alloy, but only depicting duplicate results for Al-Si with absence of inhibitor and other two containing 150 and 1250 ppm. This to facilitate the visualization of the main results when compared with
Figure 3a,b with all data depicted.
Figure 3e,f show the experimental results of the Bode and Bode-phase plots and Nyquist plots of Al-Si alloy in a stagnant and naturally aerated 0.5 M NaCl solution at 45 (± 3) °C considering also three inhibitor concentrations, i.e. 150 ppm, 625 ppm, and 1250 ppm. When a qualitative comparison is made, EIS plots reveal slight differences in shapes. Nyquist plots have semi arcs decreased and Bode/Bode-phase diagram, although with similar slopes, these are slightly dislocated to right side with increasing inhibitor content. Analogue occurrence is also verified for the Bode-phase curves mainly in high-frequency domain (i.e. between 10
3 and 10
5 Hz). This is also associated with slight decreasing in the maximum phase angles, which are decreased and also dislocated to right side. These observations suggest lower corrosion protection when compared with samples examined at 25
oC. Thus, it is indicated that hot temperature has deleterious effect on the inhibition efficiency. This discussion is quantitatively provided when the impedance parameters are obtained using the equivalent circuit (EC) as proposed in
Figure 3g. By using EC, the CNLS simulations provide good quality fitting between experimental and simulated data, as prescribed by obtained parameter designated as chi-squared (χ
2). With the EIS parameters, a quantitative discussion concern to electrochemical corrosion and inhibition behavior can be provided. These values are shown in
Table 4, as followed.
The proposed equivalent circuit (EC) is suggested due to EIS plots indicate two time constants. Although it was not necessary to determine the number of time constants, a method [
51,
52,
53,
54] is proposed in literature. Based on similar curves of all examined samples in EIS plots, it was adopted that two constants domain the electrochemical behavior of the all examined samples. The physical significance of Rs is the resistance of the electrolytic solution (0.5 M NaCl). R
1 and R
2 represent the resistances of charge transfer of the at surface and intermediate region containing inhibitor molecule possibly interacting with intermediate corrosion by-products and adsorbed intermediate products, respectively. Besides, the elements Z
CPE(1) and Z
CPE(2) represent the capacitances associated with the inner and outer film layers on the surface of the Al-Si alloy, respectively. The parameter Z
CPE characterizes the impedance of a phase element, as Equation (3).
where
C is the capacitance;
i is the current (imaginary number: -1
0.5);
ω is the angular frequency and -1 ≤
n ≤ 1 [
53,
54]. A CPE with
n = 1 represents an ideal capacitor; and when 0.5 <
n < 1, a distribution of relaxation times in the frequency space is represented.
Based on the EIS parameters shown in
Table 4, considering experimentations with absence (blank) and containing distinctive inhibitor concentrations in a 0.5M NaCl solution at 25
oC, it can be observed the modifications attained. For instance, Rs very slightly increases (i.e. ~22 to 31) with the increase of the inhibitor content. However, this increasing is not substantial to predict a different ohmic resistance of the electrolyte to conclude that certain molecule or partial ions have been dissolved and modified significantly the resistance of the electrolyte.
On the other hand, it is clearly observed that R1 and ZCPE(1), which should be together analyzed, are in the same order of magnitude for all samples containing inhibitor contents, i.e. R1 between 200 and 300 Ωcm2 and ZCPE(1) between 8 and 10 μF/cm2, excepting the sample with 1875 ppm. When R2 and ZCPE(2) corresponding with inhibition contents are analyzed, it is revealed that the capacitances ZCPE(2) are in the same magnitude (between 2.5 and 3.5 μF/cm2) and R2 increases with the increase of the inhibitor content (i.e. from ~29k to ~47k Ωcm2), and again excluding the sample with 1875 ppm. With these results, two main conclusions can be drawn. A first, it is the fact that there exists a same configuration or nature of adsorption for all examined samples with inhibitor content. Secondly, and slightly more complex extensive explanation, is the fact that R1 and ZCPE(1) seems to associate with outer layer configured when the samples are in electrolyte solution immersed. Since R1 values are lower than R2, it is induced that lower “protection” energy is involved. This suggests that a physical adsorption is prevalent. On the other hand, due to its highest values, it is suggested that R2 are associated with higher “protection” energy and inhibition efficiency than R1, and possibly involving inner complex layer (due to complex intermediates); and associated with a chemical adsorption (chemisorption) mechanism. Since a physisorption commonly involves relative weak intermolecular forces between metal and adsorbed molecule; and chemisorption summarily involves substituting reaction between surface of metal and adsorbed substance, it is suggested that R1 and R2 predominantly are associated with physio and chemisorption mechanisms, respectively. Besides, when ZCPE(1) and ZCPE(2) are evaluated, the former are around 8 and 10 μF/cm2 and the latter has lower (~3x) than former (i.e. 2.5 and 3.5 μF/cm2). Associated with the decreased capacitance, their corresponding resistance is increased, which is from the electrochemical pint of view, an indicative that their electrochemical behavior is improved.
When the EIS parameters corresponding with the hot electrolyte (at 45
oC) containing inhibitor contents are analyzed, similar electrochemical verified at 25
oC, however, with decreased inhibition efficiency, as expected and also reported in literature for all other kinds of inhibitors [
48,
49,
50]. Thus, R
1 values (~450 Ωcm
2) are lower than R
2 (~450 Ωcm
2) and (between 30k and 45k Ωcm
2). However, it is remarked that with 1250 ppm of DRIMIA inhibitor, the inhibition efficiency starts its degradation or fade-out in protection is prevalent. Although its capacitance and resistance seems to indicate better results, it is worth noted that polarization curves previously analyzed have revealed similar behavior. Besides, it should be mentioned that parameters “
n1“ and “
n2”, which are lower than its peers, when 150 and 625 ppm are evaluated. Also, these parameters at hot electrolyte are lower than environmental temperature. It remembered that “
n1“ and “
n2” possibly reflect certain “unevenness” or irregularities on the electrode surface due to more complex intermediates formation and interaction of adsorption, as also reported by Wang et al. [
50]. Lower value suggests more irregularities on surface and more distant form ideal capacitor behavior, indicating a decrease in corrosion resistance, or decreased inhibition efficiency. Since a great number of involved substances constitute the bulk of DRIMIA (with 57 distinctive substances), it is difficult to predict the accurate mechanism of adsorption. However, a tentative to prescribe this mechanism is proposed based on the experimental results obtained when isotherm adsorption analyses are carried out, as follow.
3.2.3. Adsorption Isotherm and Inhibition Activity Results
The understanding of the adsorption behavior of DRIMIA on the surface of Al-Si alloy is essential to explain its corrosion inhibition mechanism and facilitate the correlation with EIS and polarization parameters obtained. The inhibition efficiency (IE) determined by using corrosion current density is used to calculate the coverage θ, as shown in
Table 2 and
Table 3. Based on these values and comparing or trying to compared with previous investigations, as also reported by Lai et al. [
55], that recently concatenate some information concerning to inhibition efficiencies (IE) of different corrosion “organic” inhibitors for alloys in distinctive media. For instance, they [
55] reported that IE of 93.3%, 94%, and 94.5% are attained when green inhibitors of Cassava starch graft copolymer (CSGC) [
56], Konjac glucomanan (KGM) [
57] and its owner inhibitor CPT (Chitosan and 4-pyr- idinecarboxaldehyde) [
55] are used, respectively. They [
55] have stated that the IE found for CPT (i.e. 94.5%) is better than those already reported inhibitors used for aluminum alloy. It is really agreed with authors that IE reached is a substantial inhibition level. However, it is relatively complicate to compare with other studies. This due to Al alloys present different solute content, which can infer in galvanic couples and significantly affect the corrosion behavior. Besides, each different study has considered distinct medium. When CSGC is evaluated, HNO
3 solution is utilized, and when KGM is investigated, a NaCl solution is adopted, but a different Al alloy is used.
Additional to these comparisons provided by Lai et al. [
55], four other studies involving green or eco-friendly inhibitors are included. The first dating into the 2012 [
49], reporting Spondias mombin L extract in sulphuric acid with IE attained of 95.1%, and second study published at 2019 [
56], also involving green inhibitor for Al alloys immersed into HCl solution and reaching an IE of 95.6%. A third study published by Jakeria et al [
57] at 2022 involves an organic inhibitor (2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2MBI) on AA6061 Al alloy in 0.1M NaCl solution and an IE of about 65% after1 day of immersion and ~20% after 14 days od immersion. A 4th investigation [
58] recently published (at 2023) concerns to effect of rosemary extract in 0.05 M NaCl solution in AA5052 Al alloy and an IE of 96.48% is attained.
It is clearly observed that all aforementioned studies provide very acceptable IE levels. In our present study by using DRIMIA, the IE levels is of about 95.8 %, which is very compatible with these previously reported. This inhibition efficiency is reached when icorr values are considered. When the polarization resistances (i.e. R
1 + R
2) obtained from the impedance parameters (shown in
Table 4) are used, the IE percentages are reasonably distinctive (i.e. 34.9%, 37.9%, 45%, 59.5% and 30.9%) from those calculated using icorr values. However, a same trend is attained, i.e. increasing inhibition concentration, the highest IE is that of with 1250 ppm (59.5%). Probably, these difference in the IE from icorr and R
1 + R
2 is correlated with equivalent circuit adopted.
It is recognized that adsorption isotherms are utilized to prescribe the mechanism of adsorption and interaction between inhibitor molecule and Al surface (substrate). In this sense, there exists a great number of distinctive isotherm equations. Although commonly Langmuir isotherm or modified Langmuir equations are widely utilized, it was also tried to apply or calculate the inhibition efficiencies with other isotherms, such as modified Langmuir, Temkin, Frumkin, Flory-Huggins and Freundlich isotherms, as shown
Figure 4. Based on the correlation coefficients (R
2) utilized to decide to adopt or to adjudge the isotherm providing best quality fitting, it is verified that Langmuir, modified Langmuir, and Temkin isotherms provide coefficient R
2 higher than 0.90, as depicted in
Figure 4a,
Figure 4b and
Figure 4c, respectively. On the other hand, when utilizing isotherms of Frumkin, Flory-Huggins and Freundlich isotherms, all obtained R
2 are lower than 0.90, which indicate these are not adequate to prescribe the adsorption behavior profiles. It is also remarked that
Figure 4a–c also depict isotherms considering experimentation at 45
oC, which also reveal R
2 with acceptable quality fitting, i.e. 98, 95 and 97%, respectively. Since other isotherms have not provided at 25
oC a good fitting, no fit at 45
oC. are used. Equations corresponding with distinct isotherms are widely reported [
47,
48,
49,
50,
55,
56,
57,
58,
59].
Since Langmuir and Temkin isotherms provide highest R
2 at both 25 and 45
oC, their corresponding Equations are reported, as Equations (4) and(5):
where θ represents the degree of surface coverage considering corrosion current densities (icorr) (
Table 3), which are intimately associated with inhibition efficiency (IE). The inhibitor concentration or content is represented by
“c”, in ppm; “K” (ppm
-1) is the equilibrium adsorption constant; and “a” is the molecular interaction parameter [
59].
Figure 4a depicts “c/θ”ʺ versus ”c” plot at 25 oC and 45 oC considering Langmuir isotherm. From the intercepts of the straight lines on these plots, the adsorption coefficient (K), which is related to the standard Gibbs free energy of adsorption designated as ΔG
ads determined by Equation (6).
where R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, 10
6 is the concentration of water (mg/L) [
55]. All ΔG
ads values are shown inset
Figure 4. It is recognized that negative ΔG
ads indicate a possible spontaneous and strong interaction adsorption of the extract on Al surface is occuring [
49,
55]. Commonly, ΔG
ads close to −20 kJ mol
−1 or lower indicates consistent with the electrostatic interaction between charged organic molecules and the charged metal surface (physisorption). On the other hand, when close to −40 kJ mol
−1 or higher, it is suggested that the charge sharing or transfer from the organic molecules to the metal surface constituting a coordinate type of bond (chemisorptions) is provided [
49]. Based on
Figure 4 and all ΔG
ads values obtained, it is suggested that physical adsorp- tion mechanism is prevalent, as also observed by Obi-Egbedi [
49] when investigating
Spondias mombin L. extract (organic inhibitor) on Al surface immersed into 0.5 M H
2SO
4 solution. Farag et al [
59] have also observed a prevalent physical adsorption using an eco-friendly inhibitor for carbon steel also in a 0.5 M H
2SO
4 solution.
Based on this, it seems that in all experimentations carried out using DRIMIA as organic and eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor, a prevalent electrostatic interaction (physisorption) mechanism domains the adsorption between negatively charged of the DRIMIA components (are 57 compounds, as shown in
Table 1) and positively charged cation of Al
+3 at surface. The inhibition efficiency (IE) as a function of DRIMIA concentration is shown in
Figure 4g. It is clearly observed that the highest IE is attained with 1250 ppm, and increasing this content, a deleterious effect is prevalent, as aforementioned when discussing polarization and EIS parameters.
It is also suggested in literature [
55], that the IE depends on the applied temperature. The experimental results also indicate that at 45
oC, a decreasing in the adsorption strength between Al surface and inhibition molelules is observed, which suggests a physisorption behavior. Pradityana et al [
60] have stated that possibly electronegative O or N atom electrons pairs and metal, provide a nonpolar nature to organic inhibitor bloking the polar of corrosion solution. This behvaior is a physisorption mechanims between functional groups in the inhibitor molecule and metal.
Evidently, it is recognized that the chemical structure of the inhibitor molecules affects the inhibitor corrosion behavior due to its the nature and charge of the metal. In this sense, although it is suggested that the predominant inhibitor mechanism is physisorption, with Al
+3 favoring adsorption of Cl ions on its surface, the DRIMA molecules will stick onto the chloride ion adsorbed on Al surface by physical adsorption. However, as also reported by Lai et al [
55], it seems that a non-predominant chemical adsorption can also occur. This due to coordination bonds formation among the lone pair electrons on adsorption center (e.g. N and O, and empty orbital of aluminum atoms).
Figure 5 shows a schematic representation suggesting a potential corrosion inhibition mechanism provided by DRIMIA when Al is immersed in a NaCl solution. Although a great number of compounds constitutes the “macro molecule” of DRIMIA, the five main compounds (
Table 1) are constituted by OH
−, heteroatoms N, O and NH
2, which can adsorbed on the anionic sites and prevent hydrogen evolution, as similarly reported [
50,
58]. Although a molecular dynamic simulation has not been carried (due to more complex compounds constitute the DRIMIA molecule), it is also suggested that a chemical adsorption between the heteroatoms (O) and Al atoms through electron transfer can also occur, as reported by Wang et al [
58]. It is remarked that predominant chemical adsorption domains the inhibition mechanism, as previously discussed and based on the adsorption parameters. Independently of the metal as substrate interacting with corrosive medium and containing DRIMIA content, it seems that this mechanism to also prevalent. In the next sections, SAE1020 steel and c.p. Al samples are also utilized to verify the possible inhibition behavior provided by DRIMIA molecule.