Control of zinc corrosion in acidic media: Green fenugreek inhibitor

Fenugreek seeds extract was examined as a green corrosion inhibitor for Zn in 2.0 mol/L H2SO4 and 2.0 mol/L HCl solutions by mass loss and electrochemical measurements. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the surface damage is decreased in the presence of the inhibitor. X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was performed to identify the corrosion product, ZnO, and to prove the inhibitor adsorption mechanism. The maximum inhibition efficiency values are 90.7% after 1 h and 66.6% after 0.5 h by 200 mL/L of fenugreek extract in H2SO4 and HCl solutions, respectively. Addition of I− ion greatly improves the inhibition efficiency of fenugreek seeds extract for Zn corrosion in HCl due to the synergistic effect. Potentiodynamic polarization and EIS measurements prove the inhibition ability of fenugreek for Zn corrosion in HCl as indicated by the decreased corrosion current density and increased charge transfer resistance values in the presence of fenugreek.