A Green Approach: Evaluation of Combretum indicum (CI) Leaf Extract as an Eco-friendly Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in 1M HCl

The anticorrosive activity of Combretum indicum (CI) leaf extract has been examined on mild steel corrosion in 1M HCl by using weight loss and electrochemical measurement techniques. The results of these experimental techniques have consistent in confirming the effect of the CI leaf extract on corrosion inhibition and a mechanism for the inhibition was proposed. The dissolution rate of steel in acidic solution was found to be sensitive to the concentration of CI leaf extract and the corrosion rate reduces when the concentration of CI leaf extract is increased and reaches the high protection efficiency. The potentiodynamic polarization study confirms the mixed mode of inhibition. Ultraviolet-visible (UV) and Fourier -transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic techniques were performed to evaluate the phenomenon of adsorption in the plant extract and the functional groups. The surface morphology analysis (SEM) further corroborates the adsorption of inhibitor molecules over the metal surface.