Polymers as Corrosion Inhibitors for Metals in Different Media - A Review

Several works have been done and more are on the pipeline on the influence of organic compounds containing polar functions on the corrosion inhibition of metals in various aqueous media. Corrosion inhibition by such compounds is generally attributed to their adsorption on the metal/solution interface. The specific action of an inhibitor depends on the nature of its interaction with metal surface, which causes a change in either mechanism of the electrochemical corrosion process or in the surface area available for the process. Thus, factors such as physiochemical properties of the inhibitors, the nature and surface charge of the metal, solution composition and pH are important considerations. Polymers function as corrosion inhibitors because of their ability to form complexes through their functional groups with metal ions which occupy large area and by so doing blanket the metal surface from aggressive anions present in solution.