Exploration of the Ocimum americanum extract as a novel pickling agent for steel in sulfuric acid medium: electrochemical, surface modification, DFT, and MC simulation studies

The present study investigates the acid pickling nature of the Ocimum americanum extract (OAE) an acidic media. Corrosion is a common problem in industrial applications; therefore, the study intends to minimize corrosion by exploiting the OAE’s natural advantages as an environmentally benign alternative to standard inhibitors. The ability of the OAE was assessed utilizing a variety of methods. The anti-corrosive behavior of the OAE was tested using the linear polarization and impedance methods. The maximum efficacy of 92.93% is observed at 2000 ppm concentration of the OAE. It is identified that the OAE adsorbs on the mild steel surface, preventing corrosive assault in acidic environments due to morphological alterations, functional groups, and a combination of both physisorption and chemisorption. Apart from the electrochemical and surface analysis, the DFT and MC simulation confirm the effectiveness of the OAE as a pickling agent in sulfuric acid medium..

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