Synergetic Anticorrosion Mechanism of Main Constituents in Chinese Yam Peel for Copper in Artificial Seawater

Active constituents of Chinese yam peel (CYPE), namely, diosgenin (DOG), batatasin-I (BTS-I), batatasin-III (BTS-III), and yam polysaccharide (Y-PS), were extracted via an ultrasonic soaking strategy. The synergetic anticorrosion mechanism among these compounds for copper in artificial seawater (ASW) was clarified by gravimetric measurements, electrochemical evaluations, surface analyses, quantum chemical calculations under a dominant solvent model, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results of weight loss revealed that CYPE strongly inhibited the corrosion of copper in ASW, and the elevating temperature boosted the anticorrosion efficacy of CYPE. The inhibition efficiency could attain 96.33% with 900 mg/L CYPE in ASW at 298 K due to effective adsorption. CYPE simultaneously suppressed the anodic and cathodic reactions for copper in ASW, which could be categorized as the mixed-type corrosion inhibitor with the predominant anodic effect. Similar electrochemical kinetics was evidenced by electrochemical frequency modulation (EFM). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicated that CYPE prominently increased the charge-transfer resistance at the copper/electrolyte interface without altering the corrosion mechanism. Extending the immersion time was also conducive for CYPE to further minimize the corrosion of copper in ASW, which was demonstrated by the time-course polarization, EIS, and EFM tests. Owing to the adsorption of CYPE, the copper surface was well-protected and showed reduced wettability and limited variation of roughness. From the outcomes of quantum chemical calculations, global and local reactive descriptors of DOG implied the cross-linked deposition of actually formed dioscin on the copper surface; otherwise, those of BTS-I/-III showed the propensity for parallel adsorption, which could chemically anchor on the voids uncovered by dioscin and thereby synergistically inhibit the corrosion process. The adsorption orientations of DOG, BTS-I, and BTS-III were also consolidated by MD simulations. The findings of this study might be beneficial to inspire the development of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors from plant wastes for copper in marine environments.