Corrosion inhibitors

Corrosion inhibitors are chemicals that are added in small amounts

whcih respond with the metal's surface or the ecological gasses causing
corrosion, consequently, intruding on the compound response that
causes corrosion.

Mechanism :
 Inhibitors can work by adsorbing themselves on the metal's
surface and framing a defensive film.
 They combine with corrosion product films to protect metal
surfaces
 They form precipitates which visibly coat and protect metal
surface.

Corrosion
inhibitors

Inorganic Organic

Film
Anodic Cathodic
Forming
Inorganic inhibitors
Mainly used in boilers, cooling towers and fractional units

1. Cathodic inhibitors
Chemical compounds which inhibit the cathodic reaction of the
corrosion cell.

Examples:
1.Compounds such as ZnSO4 ,MgSO4 and Ca(HCO3)2 these
compounds inhibit by forming insoluble Zn(OH)2 film or Mg(OH)2 film
or CaCO3 film with the cathodically formed OH- ions which isolates
the cathodic regions of the corrosion cells from the corrosive
medium

2. Oxygen scavengers

They react with dissolved oxygen and remove it from the neutral or
alkaline corrosive environment

Sodium sulphite or hydrazine are used as high temperature oxygen

scavengers

3. Compounds such as salts of arsenic, mercury, antimony which are

added to acidic corrosive environments to slowdown the cathodic
H2 evolution
 2. Anodic Inhibitors
Chemical compounds which inhibit the anodic reaction of the
corrosive cells.

Examples:
1. Compounds such as Na2SiO3, Na2CO3 and Na3PO4 forms insoluble film
of iron silicate or iron carbonate which isolates the anodic sites of the
corrosion cell

2. Passivators

They are oxidizing agents such as chromate inhibitors or nitrite

inhibitors which react with the anodically formed Fe2+ to form a passive
oxide film

chromate inhibitors are effective and were used in water towers. But
they where toxic to most organisms

Na2Cr2O7(0.2%,PH=8) was used in industries to protect colling systems

Nitrite inhibitors are used to repkace toxic chromates , they have

similar efficiencies and properties
Organic inhibitors
Also called as adsorption inhibitors contain a polar group such
as amino groups adsorb on the metallic surface and isolate it
from the corrosive medium

They are complex mixtures of many different molecular

compounds
They affect both anodic and cathodic areas of corrosion cell

Their effectiveness depends on

 Eo value of metal
 Chemical structure (size and shape) of the inhibitor
molecule

An organic corrosion inhibitor molecule consists of a

hydrocarbon chain that is attached to a strongly polar
functional group. The hydrocarbon chain of the inhibitor
molecule is oil soluble. This chain provides a barrier that
keeps water away from the metal surface.
Organic inhibitor molecules can be modified to increase
their solubility or dispersibility in brine. These modifications
include adding more polar groups to each inhibitor
molecule. Sometimes, the dispersibility of an oil soluble
inhibitor is increased by blending it with a surfactant. This
blending technique helps to disperse the oil soluble inhibitor
into both the oil and water phases.
Metal selection and design
The material selection is carried out through the following steps

1. Preliminary selection Based on experience, availability and

safety aspects

2. Laboratory testing Reevaluation of apparently suitable

materials under process conditions

3. Interpretation of laboratory results and other data Effect

of possible impurities, excess temperature, excess pressure,

agitation, and presence of air in equipment

4. Economic comparison of apparently suitable materials

Material and maintenance cost, probable life, cost of

product degradation, and liability to special hazards

5. Final selection
Suitable design and fabrication procedure:
1. The use of dissimilar metal contacts to be prevented. This helps in
preventing galvanic corrosion
2. To design dissimilar metals joints the metals should have
electrode potential close as possible to each other
3. Design procedure should also avoid cracks
4. Sharp corners and recesses should also be avoided
5. Welding the joints is preferable over riveted joints to prevent
stress corrosion
MAJOR CORROSION CATASTROPHES IN THE
HISTORY

Bhopal disaster
The Bhopal disaster was the result of a combination of legal,
technological, organizational, and human errors. However, the
immediate cause of the chemical reaction was the seepage of water
(500 liters) into theMIC storage tank. Many investigators and
researchers have agreed that corrosion of pipelines, values and other
safety equipments as the main culprit for this catastrophe. The
following evidences are presented to support the argument

Prudhoe Bay oil spill 2006

The cause of the leak became obvious within a few days of its
discovery: internal corrosion had caused a one-quarter-inch hole in the
bottom of the transit pipeline What happened in Prudhoe Bay was
Microbial Corrosion. All indications were that the corrosion that caused
the hole in the transit line was biological in origin, caused by sulfate
reducing bacteria inside the pipeline. The corrosion pits confirmed this
and also the way in which the corrosion in the pipeline accelerated over
time was characteristic of the way in which microbiological corrosion
develops, as the bacteria grow and multiply. The bacteria forms in
water, so that problems associated with microbiological corrosion were
suspected to be associated with the water carrying pipelines, such as
the lines which were used for waterflood operations .Over 19,000
gallon of oil was recovered
While the occurrence of corrosion and environmental degradation of
the materials seems inevitable, It can be avoided to certainly a large
extent. The timely measures taken on the part of engineers can result
not only in cost reduction of the industry or organization but can also
become a saving cause for hundreds of valuable human life. History
always has its way of delivering lessons, time has come that a
developing country like ours takes steps at every possible level to reduce
the risk of any cat astrophe occurring due to corrosional degradation
References
 Material science – R.S.KHURMI
 www.zavenir.com
 Corrosion engineering: principles and practice ,Handbook
of corrosion engineering- PIERRE R. ROBERGE