In this work, cationic Gemini surfactants
with different alkyl
chain lengths (
n
= 8, 10, and 12) and a bipyridyl
spacer were synthesized and tested as corrosion inhibitors for carbon
steel in 1 M HCl solution. The corrosion inhibition efficiency was
determined by weight loss measurement, potentiodynamic polarization,
and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Results showed that such
three inhibitors could effectively inhibit the corrosion of carbon
steel in 1 M HCl solution, especially at their low concentrations,
while the carbon chain length of Geminis used played a negligible
role in the inhibition efficiency. Scanning electron microscopy/energy
dispersive X-ray analysis observations demonstrated the formation
of a protective inhibitor layer on the carbon steel surface. Additionally,
the adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the carbon steel surface
was found to obey the Langmuir isotherm.