Case-Studies on Green Corrosion Inhibitors

Corrosion in metals and its alloys is an inevitable phenomenon but can be controlled by suitable classical methods like process control, cathode protection, surface treating methods, impurity reduction in metals and addition of metals to form alloys. Nevertheless, the employment of corrosion inhibitors is still a noteworthy and simplest of all the above processes in protecting the metals and alloys especially in acidic media. Protection of metals against corrosion not only prevents corrosion but also is beneficial in terms of money loss as far as industrial equipment, surfaces and vessels are concerned. Since the use of organic and inorganic inhibitors are highly discouraged due to their high cost and toxicity, necessity has adequately aroused the development of corrosion inhibitors which are natural and green. Trends, nowadays, focussed in controlling corrosion in various metals and alloys through green corrosion inhibitors consisting of natural elements alone. In contrast to the inorganic inhibitors, green corrosion inhibitors are characterized by biodegradability, low cost and meagre toxicity. Several researchers are now turning themselves towards the research of green inhibitors which are of no threat to humans and the ecosystem. The current discussion is focussed on the fundamentals of corrosion, corrosion inhibition, materials used for it and case studies of green inhibitors used for corrosion control in various conventional and monolithic metals.