Stearate as a green corrosion inhibitor of magnesium alloy ZE41 in sulfate medium

Abstract

The efficiency of stearate as a corrosion inhibitor for magnesium alloy ZE41 has been studied in sodium sulfate medium, employing electrochemical techniques like potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results of polarization study imply that stearate functions as a mixed-type corrosion inhibitor with a predominant anodic control. The adsorption of stearate on alloy surface is found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The proposed inhibition mechanism involved adsorption of stearate onto metal surface, followed by precipitation of magnesium stearate within the microdefects of Mg(OH)2 surface film which enhanced the barrier effect of an otherwise porous partially protective film. Keywords: Alloy, Magnesium, Impedance, Polarization, Stearate