Development of Smart Corrosion Inhibitors for Reinforced Concrete Structures Exposed to a Microbial Environment

Cysteine as an Eco-Friendly Anticorrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in Various Acidic Solutions: Electrochemical, Adsorption, Surface Analysis, and Quantum Chemical Calculations

The corrosion of iron in acidic environments has a negative impact on global industry. Herewith, the inhibitory effect of cysteine (Cys.) on mild steel (MSL) corrosion in different acidic solutions (1 M HCl, 1 M H2SO4, and 1 M H3PO4) was investigated through weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and theoretical calculations. The measurement results indicated that the adsorption of Cys. molecules on the metal surface caused corrosion inhibition. As a result, a protective layer or insoluble compound, or both, is obtained, blocking the active sites, preventing corrosion. The effectiveness (IE %) of the Cys. was enhanced by increasing concentration and lowering temperature. The maximum IE % of inhibition at 1 × 10-2 M of Cys. obtained are 97.3, 89.7, and 84.4% in HCl, H3PO4, and H2SO4 solutions, respectively. At the same inhibitor concentration, the double-layer capacity decreased, and the charge-transfer resistance increased from 17.17 to 188.5, 3.564 to 31.91, and 1.325 to 8.715 Ω cm2 in HCl, H3PO4, and H2SO4 solutions, respectively. Adsorption and PDP studies confirmed that it obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and acts as a mixed-type inhibitor of physicochemical nature. The corresponding thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were also calculated and discussed. Moreover, the inhibitory effect on the surface was inspected by SEM. The findings demonstrated that the order of IE % using Cys as anticorrosion agent for MSL is HCl > H3PO4 > H2SO4 solutions.

Corrosion Inhibition Mechanism of Steel Reinforcements in Mortar Using Soluble Phosphates: A Critical Review

The corrosion inhibition mechanism of soluble phosphates on steel reinforcement embedded in mortar fabricated with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) are reviewed. This review focuses soluble phosphate compounds, sodium monofluorophosphate (Na2PO3F) (MFP), disodium hydrogen phosphate (Na2HPO4) (DHP) and trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) (TSP), embedded in mortar. Phosphate corrosion inhibitors have been deployed in two different ways, as migrating corrosion inhibitors (MCI), or as admixed corrosion inhibitors (ACI). The chemical stability of phosphate corrosion inhibitors depends on the pH of the solution, H2PO4- ions being stable in the pH range of 3-6, the HPO42- in the pH range of 8-12, while the PO43- ions are stable above pH 12. The formation of iron phosphate compounds is a thermodynamically favored spontaneous reaction. Phosphate ions promote ferrous phosphate precipitation due to the higher solubility of ferric phosphate, thus producing a protective barrier layer that hinders corrosion. Therefore, the MFP as well as the DHP and TSP compounds are considered anodic corrosion inhibitors. Both types of application (MCI and ACI) of phosphate corrosion inhibitors found MFP to present the higher inhibition efficiency in the following order MFP > DHP > TSP.

An Innovative Approach to Control Steel Reinforcement Corrosion by Self-Healing

The corrosion of reinforced steel, and subsequent reinforced concrete degradation, is a major concern for infrastructure durability. New materials with specific, tailor-made properties or the establishment of optimum construction regimes are among the many approaches to improving civil structure performance. Ideally, novel materials would carry self-repairing or self-healing capacities, triggered in the event of detrimental influence and/or damage. Controlling or altering a material's behavior at the nano-level would result in traditional materials with radically enhanced properties. Nevertheless, nanotechnology applications are still rare in construction, and would break new ground in engineering practice. An approach to controlling the corrosion-related degradation of reinforced concrete was designed as a synergetic action of electrochemistry, cement chemistry and nanotechnology. This contribution presents the concept of the approach, namely to simultaneously achieve steel corrosion resistance and improved bulk matrix properties. The technical background and challenges for the application of polymeric nanomaterials in the field are briefly outlined in view of this concept, which has the added value of self-healing. The credibility of the approach is discussed with reference to previously reported outcomes, and is illustrated via the results of the steel electrochemical responses and microscopic evaluations of the discussed materials.