Purpose In this paper, two promising corrosion inhibitors based on natural and eco-friendly materials such as peanut fatty acids (PFA) were prepared and challenged with a common efficient commercial inhibitor. Two amino derivatives based on aliphatic and aromatic compounds such as 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and 2-amino-2-phenyl-1-propanol (APP), respectively, were used and reacted with PFA under controlled conditions to produce the corrosion inhibitors. The prepared inhibitors, namely, PFA-AMP (inhCYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN I) and PFA-APP (inhCYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN ICYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN I), were confirmed and characterized by Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, acid value determination and viscosity measurements. Design/methodology/approach First, different coating formulations free from any inhibitors were prepared and irradiated under different doses of electron beam source to select the best dose. Several concentrations of synthesized anticorrosion materials were then added to coating formulations to estimate them as anticorrosion materials for mild steel panels. Then, all formulations were coated and polymerized at a dose of 10 kGy. The corrosion tests, weight loss and water uptake were studied for all films after immersion in 3.5% sodium chloride. Moreover, the chemical and physico-mechanical properties were determined for all films. Findings The results exhibited that the different concentrations of two inhibitors did not show any significant change on the different properties of all films, and the best concentration, which gives the better protection for steel panels, was to be 1.0 g for two inhibitors. Originality/value It was found that the protection efficiency of the inhCYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN I is better and higher than that of the inhCYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN ICYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN I and also of the commercial inhibitor with the following order: inhCYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN I > commercial inhibitor > inhCYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN ICYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER BYELORUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN I.