Assessment of 14-(4-nitrophenyl)-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthene as an effective organic corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1 M HCl: Electrochemical, theoretical, and surface analysis

Abstract

In this study, the corrosion inhibition performance of 14-(4-Nitrophenyl)-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthene ( ZM6) for mild steel in 1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) was investigated. ZM6, a novel inhibitor, was evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques to assess its protective efficiency. The results show that ZM6 functions as a mixed-type inhibitor, effectively reducing both anodic and cathodic reactions, with inhibition efficiency (ηPP) reaching up to 92.2%. EIS analysis further confirmed the formation of a protective barrier on the steel surface. Additionally, the study demonstrated that ZM6 maintained high inhibition efficiency even at elevated temperatures, albeit with slight decreases, suggesting a predominantly physical adsorption mechanism. The adsorption of ZM6 on the steel surface followed the Langmuir isotherm, indicating a strong interaction between the inhibitor molecules and the metal surface. This research underscores the potential of ZM6 as an effective corrosion inhibitor, offering valuable insights into its application in industrial corrosion control for steel in harsh acidic conditions.in addition the density Functional Theory (DFT) was employed to explore the anti-corrosion mechanism of ZM6, yielding theoretical results that aligned with previous experimental findings