Ferrous metal corrosion studies in presence of eco-friendly acacia melanoxylon leaves extract in 1M HCl condition

Mild steels are the most widely used type of ferrous metal, but when exposed to corrosive media, they are susceptible to rusting. Recently, researchers have focused on employing environmentally sustainable corrosion inhibitors extracted from plant leaves to protect steel materials against corrosion in acidic regions. This research aims to investigate the prevention of corrosion and surface adsorption strategies of crude acacia melanoxylon extract (AMLE) on mild steel in a 1M HCl environment. AMLE is an exceptionally effective mild steel corrosion inhibitor that has the advantage of being eco-friendly, which was examined using chemical and electrochemical techniques. The mass loss method was used in the study to assess how well the inhibitor performed at various temperatures and doses in a 1M HCl solution. EIS and polarisation experiments were utilized to conduct electrochemical evaluations. The mild steel surface study was projected using the SEM and Contact angle studies and the interaction of active components was elaborated through theoretical quantum chemical techniques. The extract of AMLE contains a large number of phytochemical components that reduce the MS corrosion rate in an acidic solution. At a concentration of 1g/L inhibitor, the highest inhibition effectiveness of 99.35% was attained. Further polarization experimental results noticed that AMLE components function as a mixed-type inhibitor.