Corrosion protection of steel with DMEA-based organic inhibitor

• DMEA-based organic corrosion inhibitor for protection of rebars in artificial concrete pore solution.
• Electrochemical evaluation in synthetic concrete pore solution, contaminated with chloride ions.
• Determination of corrosion rate, corrosion current density icorr, polarization resistance Rp and pitting potential Epitt.
• Comparison between electrochemical parameters and metal loss determination.

The aim of this study is to examine the protective effect of N,N′dimethylaminoethanol (DMEA – organic corrosion inhibitor) against rebar corrosion in the presence of chloride ions. The inhibiting properties of DMEA based corrosion inhibitor were evaluated in artificial concrete pore solution and in cement mortar specimens. The electrochemical measurements were performed using synthetic concrete pore solution which was contaminated with chloride ions in order to simulating the concrete interstitial electrolyte. Corrosion parameters such as corrosion rate, corrosion current density icorr, polarization resistance Rp and pitting potential Epitt of reinforcing steel have been evaluated by electrochemical measurements and compared with that obtained from metal loss determination. Results indicated that the addition of N,N′dimethylaminoethanol to the artificial concrete pore solution as well as into the concrete contaminated with chloride ions decreases the corrosion rate of steel reinforcement.