Tungstate as a synergist to phosphonate-based formulation for corrosion control of carbon steel in nearly neutral aqueous environment

Abstract

Synergistic inhibition of corrosion of carbon steel in low chloride aqueous medium using tungstate as a synergist in combination with N,N-bis(phosphonomethyl) glycine (BPMG) and zinc ions is presented. The synergistic action of tungstate has been established through the present studies. The new ternary inhibitor formulation is effective in neutral and slightly acidic as well as slightly alkaline media. Potentiodynamic polarisation studies inferred that the formulation functions as a mixed inhibitor. Impedance studies of the metal/solution interface revealed that the surface film is highly protective. Characterisation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the surface film formed in presence of the inhibitor revealed the presence of iron, phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, zinc and tungsten in the surface film. The chemical shifts in the binding energies of these elements inferred that the surface film is composed of iron oxides/hydroxides, zinc hydroxide, heteropolynuclear complex [Fe(III), Zn(II)–BPMG] and WO3. Reflection absorption FTIR spectroscopic studies also supported the presence of these compounds in the surface film. Morphological features of the metal surface studied in the absence and presence of the inhibitor by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are also presented. Based on all these results, a plausible mechanism of corrosion inhibition is proposed.