Corrosion of Iron in Anhydrous Acetonitrile Solutions of Some Carboxylic Acids

Abstract

Corrosion of iron in anhydrous acetonitrile solutions of some carboxylic acids containing a small amount of water was investigated by polarization measurements. Polarization curves of the iron electrode in aqueous and acetonitrile solutions of carboxylic acids (acetic, chloroacetic, dichloroacetic, and benzoic) are discussed based on the content of water and the concentration of H+ and carboxylate ion. A linear relationship between logarithms of the corrosion current density and proton concentration was established for iron in acetonitrile solutions. The cathodic reaction was first order with respect to the H+ concentration. The cathodic process of iron corrosion in the acetonitrile solutions with a small amount of water seemed to be similar to that in the aqueous solutions.