A Novel HPEI-Based Hyperbranched Scale and Corrosion Inhibitor: Construction, Performance, and Inhibition Mechanism

A novel hyperbranched scale and corrosion inhibitor (CHPEI-AMPS) was designed by hyperbranched polyethylenimine (HPEI) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) as raw materials and rapidly synthesized by microwave radiation. The material performances such as scale inhibition for calcium carbonate and corrosion inhibition for carbon steel were investigated by static test and polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), respectively. The results showed CHPEI-AMPS had a significant inhibition effect, achieving scale inhibition efficiency of 95.4% and corrosion inhibition efficiency of 94.5% at the dosage of 50 mg/L. Moreover, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation from the atomic level revealed that the CHPEI-AMPS inhibited the generation of CaCO3 scale by dominantly inhibiting the growth of calcite (104) surface. The results of electrochemical measurements found that the CHPEIAMPS mainly suppressed the anodic iron dissolution reaction to prevent corrosion. The study suggested that CHPEI-AMPS can act as a novel inhibitor for controlling scale and corrosion.