A combinatorial matrix of rare earth chloride mixtures as corrosion inhibitors of AA2024-T3: Optimisation using potentiodynamic polarisation and EIS

A combinatorial matrix of four rare earth chlorides has been evaluated for the corrosion inhibition of aluminium alloy AA2024-T3 in aqueous solution. Two electrochemical techniques, potentiodynamic polarisation (PP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were used to evaluate AA2024-T3 corrosion in 0.1 M NaCl with the addition of 10−3 M of rare earth chloride mixtures at time periods up to 18 h.PP experiments showed rare earth inhibition of up to 98% within the first hour and thereafter corrosion rates were steadily decreased. The open-circuit potential (OCP) of AA2024-T3 decreased as a function of time for all solutions indicating predominantly cathodic inhibition. However, differing trends in the OCP were observed during PP and EIS experiments and are discussed in terms of likely time-dependent mechanisms.A comparative study of optimisation models indicated the best mixture at 10−3 M total inhibitor concentration was predicted to be 72% cerium (Ce) and 28% (praseodymium (Pr)/lanthanum (La)) ions. As the amount of Ce is decreased from this level the corrosion inhibition is predicted to decrease also, regardless of what other rare earths (La, Pr and Nd) are added alone or in combination. Individually, La, Pr and Nd show varying levels of corrosion inhibition activity, all of which are inferior to that of Ce. If Ce is absent entirely, then a mixture of approximately 50% Pr and 50% Nd is predicted to be preferred. This is one of the first applications of combinatorial design for the optimisation of corrosion inhibitor mixtures.