Exploring the potential of plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors: A comprehensive review

With the increasing importance of green chemistry and demand for sustainable technologies, plant extract-based corrosion inhibition systems have garnered significant attention. Previous reviews summarized the performance of various plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors but lacked systematic comparison and identification of key chemical constituents. To address these shortcomings, this review first outlines the extraction process of plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors, followed by a general overviewof test methods and possible working mechanisms used to investigate their corrosion inhibition properties. Emphasis is then laid on their applications in marine and acid environments, presenting differences in corrosion inhibition efficiency and investigation of effective chemicals in various extracts. Moreover, we discuss the long-term stability of plant extracts and synergistic effects with other corrosion inhibitors, and we conclude by suggesting current shortcomings in the field to guide the design and application of novel green corrosion inhibitors in the future.