The electrochemical behavior of zinc metal in a strong alkaline ͑8.5 M KOH͒ solution in the presence of HCO 2 u CH 2 u ͑OCH 2 CH 2 ͒ u CH 2 u CO 2 H, dicarboxylic acid modified poly͑ethylene glycol͒ ͑PEG͒ was studied. Electrochemical methods ͑linear polarizations and potentiodynamic and potentiostatic techniques͒, spectroscopic ͑Fourier transform IR͒, morphological ͑scanning electron microscopy͒, and imaging studies ͑atomic force microscopy͒ revealed that the ability to inhibit zinc corrosion in the strong alkaline solution with low concentrations ͑between 800 and 2000 ppm͒ of the modified dicarboxylic PEG is enhanced for a short duration and that the anchoring group attached to the zinc metal is only one of the terminating carboxylate anions. The different morphologies developed on the zinc metal during exposure time is a characteristic of the modified carboxylic acid PEG inhibitor.The development and study of organic polymeric inhibitors that are capable of replacing mercury and mercury salts without any degradation of the zinc anode performance or the overall alkaline cell electrochemical characteristics is highly important. 1-11 Primary alkaline batteries and zinc-air cells based on a zinc anode are highly attractive because they are capable of providing attractive discharge capacity with high efficiency. Overcoming zinc anode corrosion in alkaline media without the use of mercury ͑which is considered as a highly efficient zinc corrosion inhibitor 12 ͒, is a major research challenge. Environmental regulations are motivating manufacturers to look for corrosion inhibitors that are environmentally benign, serving as good alternatives to mercury. Thus, the addition of another component, in relatively insignificant and small concentration, capable of reducing the zinc corrosion in alkaline media without compromising cell electrochemical performance, is a necessity.The electrochemical potential of zinc immersed in strong alkaline solution, −1.6 V vs. standard calomel electrode ͑SCE͒, is far below the water reduction potential ͑−0.8 V vs. SCE͒, leading to hydrogen release. 13 Thus, zinc is thermodynamically unstable in alkaline solutions. Water reduction during zinc corrosion in alkaline media, being a primary cathodic reaction, is the key reaction controlling the overall hydrogen gas evolution. Eliminating or minimizing this cathodic process would lead to a substantially reduced corrosion rate of the zinc.The poly͑ethylene glycol͒ ͑PEG͒ family was thoroughly studied, and it was detected that PEG 600 with a carbon chain length of n = 9-11, is the most efficient inhibitor. 8,14-16 Previous works conducted by our group 14-16 and others 17-19 compared the electrochemical behavior of PEGs and other inhibitors, such as ethoxylatedpolyfluoroalcohol, alkyl polyethylene oxide, n = 4 and n = 23, and polyoxyethylene alkyl phosphate ester acid GAFAC RA 600. The organic zinc inhibitors studied in these works share one common feature: they all possess the same backbone tail composed of a poly͑oxyethylene͒ moiety ͑uO u CH 2 u CH ...