Eco-friendly self-doped carbon quantum dots (ZCQDs) with
excellent
corrosion inhibition ability were prepared via solid-phase pyrolysis
only using Zanthoxylum bungeanum leaves
as the raw material. Compared with the relevant research, a simpler
and higher yield (25%) preparation process for carbon quantum dots
was proposed. ZCQDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy
and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the average size of ZCQDs
with multitudes of O- and N-containing functional groups was about
2.53 nm. The prepared ZCQDs were used to inhibit the corrosion of
Q235 steel in HCl solution, and the inhibition behavior was investigated
through weight loss, electrochemical test, surface analysis, and adsorption
thermodynamic analyses. The results showed that the ZCQDs, acted as
a mixed corrosion inhibitor, have an effective corrosion inhibition
for Q235, the corrosion inhibition efficiency reached 95.98% at 200
mg/L, and at this concentration, effective protection of at least
132h (IE > 90%) is provided. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism
of
ZCQDs was consistent with that of Redlich–Peterson adsorption,
including chemisorption and physisorption. A new corrosion inhibition
mechanism of ZCQDs has been thoroughly studied and proposed; ZCQDs
have functional groups containing O and N, which can form a protective
barrier through physical adsorption and chemisorption, but the coverage
of the protective film is low at low concentrations. With the increase
of concentration, the protective film formed by ZCQDs on the metal
surface will first increase the coverage and then adsorb more ZCQDs
on the protective film to form a thicker and denser protective film
to protect the metal. The carbon quantum dots prepared in this paper
have advantages including a green, renewable precursor, a fast method,
high yield, and excellent corrosion inhibition. Therefore, this work
can inspire and facilitate, to a certain extent, the future application
of doped carbon quantum dots as efficient corrosion inhibitors in
HCl solutions.