Insight into anti-corrosion mechanism of copper in 0.5 M sulfuric acid solution via microwave-assisted synthesis of carbon quantum dots as novel inhibitors

This study presents the development of a domestic, microwave-facilitated method for synthesizing carbon quantum dots (W-CDs), utilizing waste acorn caps and thiourea as dual precursors for nitrogen and sulfur doping. The corrosion inhibiting capability of W-CDs in 0.5 mol/L sulfuric acid solution towards copper was assessed, showcasing remarkable inhibition efficiencies of 98.89 %, 98.71 %, and 98.42 % at 298 K, 308 K, and 318 K respectively, when used at a concentration of 200 mg/L. The thermodynamic data of the adsorption process are discussed using the Arrhenius formula and the transition state equation. The adsorption of W-CDs onto copper was found to stem from a synergistic interplay of physical and chemical forces, consistent with the theoretical framework provided by the Langmuir adsorption model.