Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Investigations of Stainless Steels in Presence of Corrosion Inhibitors

The behavior of corrosion and corrosion inhibition of AISI 1010 carbon steel, AISI 316 stainless steel and UNS S31803 duplex steel was studied in sodium chloride solution (3.0 wt. %), in the absence and presence of benzimidazole and imidazole corrosion inhibitors. The chemical and morphological characterization of steels were performed using the techniques such as optical emission spectrometry,  optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Electrochemical analysis were performed through the techniques of potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Metallographic, SEM and EDX analysis allowed to identify certain regions and elements present in the steel which provide corrosion occurring, such as inclusions.The electrochemical impedance results showed that the benzimidazole inhibition efficiencies were approximately 52%, 73% and 71%, respectively, for AISI 1010, AISI 316 and UNS S31803 steels. In the case of the imidazole was obtained efficiencies of about 96% for the AISI 1010 and AISI 316 steels and 85% for the UNS S31803 steel. Weight loss tests showed that for AISI 1010 steel, both benzimidazole and imidazole inhibit corrosion, and reduced the corrosion about 17% and 24%, respectively. In the analysis of the polarization curves in studies with seawater, it was observed that the inhibitors were lower efficient than in the middle chloride solution. The benzimidazole showed efficiencies of about 14%, 50% and 33% for AISI 1010, AISI 316 and UNS S31803 steels, respectively. In the case of Imidazole, it was observed that the inhibition efficiency of approximately 21%, 59% and 34% for the same steels, respectively. In all electrochemical analysis and weight loss test, imidazole proved to be the best inhibitor for the steels investigated.

Acknowledgments

FAPES, CAPES, FINEP, LMC and CNPq.