Novel benzimidazole derivatives as corrosion inhibitors of mild steel in the acidic media. Part I: Gravimetric, electrochemical, SEM and XPS studies

•Novel benzimidazole derivatives inhibitors have been studied.•Efficiency increases with increasing the number of benzimidazole segments.•Inhibition efficiency depends on the temperature and concentration of HCl medium.•The inhibitors adsorb on mild steel surface both physically and chemically.

Three novel benzimidazole derivatives, 2-aminomethyl benzimidazole (ABI), bis (2-benzimidazolylmethyl) amine (BBIA) and tri (2-benzimidazolylmethyl) amine (TBIA), have been studied as inhibitors for mild steel in 1.0 M HCl. The three compounds prevent mild steel from corrosion by adsorption on the steel surface and forming insoluble complex with ferrous species. Inhibition efficiency increases with the increase in the number of benzimidazole segments in the molecules (TBIA > BBIA > ABI). Protection efficiency of the inhibitors depends on concentration of inhibitor, temperature and concentration of hydrochloric acid.