Investigation of Inhibitive Action of Urea-Zn2 Sys
Investigation of Inhibitive Action of Urea-Zn2 Sys
Investigation of Inhibitive Action of Urea-Zn2 Sys
net/publication/267782937
CITATIONS READS
13 8,176
2 authors:
Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
All content following this page was uploaded by Susai Rajendran on 28 July 2015.
INVESTIGATION OF INHIBITIVE
ACTION OF UREA- ZN2+ SYSTEM IN
THE CORROSION CONTROL OF
CARBON STEEL IN SEA WATER
M. MANIVANNAN *1
1
Department of Chemistry, Chettinad College of Engineering and Technology,
Karur – 639 114, Tamil Nadu, India
Email: manichem76@gmail.com, Mobile: +91 9789739587
S. RAJENDRAN 2, 3
2
Corrosion Research Centre, GTN Arts College,
Dindigul – 624 005, Tamil Nadu, India
3
Department of Chemistry, RVS School of Engineering and Technology,
Dindigul – 624 005, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract :
The inhibition efficiency (IE) of Urea in controlling corrosion of carbon steel in sea water in the absence and
presence of Zn2+ has been evaluated by weight loss method. The formulation consisting of 250 ppm urea and
50 ppm Zn2+ has 94% IE. It is found that the inhibition efficiency (IE) of urea increases by the addition of Zn2+
ion. A synergistic effect exists between urea and Zn2+. Polarization study reveals that Urea – Zn2+ system
controls the cathodic reaction predominantly and suggests the formation of protective film on the metal surface.
The nature of the protective film formed on the metal surface has been analyzed by FTIR spectra and AFM
analysis. The protective film is found to consist of Fe2+ – Urea complex and Zn(OH)2. Based on the above
studies a suitable mechanism has been proposed for the corrosion inhibition.
Keywords: Corrosion inhibition, Urea, carbon steel, synergistic effect, FTIR, AFM, sea water
1. Introduction
Corrosion is the deterioration of metals and alloys by electrochemical reaction with its environment. It is a
natural phenomenon which cannot be avoided, but it can be controlled and prevented using the suitable
preventive measures like metallic coating, anodic protection, cathodic protection and using inhibitors, etc.
Inhibitors are playing very good role in the process of corrosion control. The organic inhibitors containing
hetero atoms like oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus, etc shows better corrosion inhibition by forming
protective layer over the metal surface. Also the corrosion inhibition efficiency follows the order O < N < S < P
1-4
. Among various organic compounds, urea and its derivatives shows significant corrosion inhibition of metals
and alloys in corrosive media. As urea molecule (Fig. 1) contains one oxygen and two nitrogen atoms, hence
urea and its derivatives can act as very good corrosion inhibitors 5-7.
The aim of the present study was to investigate synergistic corrosion inhibition for the urea and Zn2+
combination to carbon steel in sea water collected from Bay of Bengal at Marina beach which is located at
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (Table 1). The corrosion inhibition efficiency was calculated using weight loss
method and polarization study. The synergistic effect of the urea – Zn2+ system has been studied using
synergism parameters and F – test. The protective film formed on the metal surface characterized using surface
morphological studies such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
2. Experimental
Parameters Value
pH 7.66
Conductivity 44200 µmhos/cm
Chloride 16050 ppm
Sulphate 2616 ppm
TDS 30940 ppm
Total hardness 2800 ppm
Calcium 120 ppm
Sodium 6300 ppm
Magnesium 600 ppm
Potassium 400 ppm
Where W1 and W2 are corrosion rate in the absence and presence of the inhibitor respectively.
The corrosion rate (CR) was calculated using the equation (2).
Where W = weight loss in mg, D = 7.87 g/cm3, A = surface area of the specimen (10 cm2) and T = 72 hrs.
Table 2. Inhibition efficiencies (IE %) and corrosion rates (mmpy) obtained from urea - Zn2+ systems, when carbon steel immersed in sea
water.
Table 3. Synergism parameters (SI) for carbon steel immersed in sea water in the absence and presence of inhibitor.
θ2 θ2
Urea (Zn2+ = (Zn2+ =
θ1 θ1+2 θ’1+2 SI θ1 θ1+2 θ’1+2 SI
ppm 25 ppm) 50 ppm)
50 0.08 0.12 0.19 0.25 1.07 0.08 0.17 0.23 0.38 1.23
100 0.14 0.12 0.24 0.38 1.22 0.14 0.17 0.28 0.60 1.78
150 0.30 0.12 0.38 0.60 1.54 0.30 0.17 0.41 0.75 2.32
200 0.48 0.12 0.54 0.70 1.52 0.48 0.17 0.56 0.80 2.15
250 0.56 0.12 0.61 0.74 1.48 0.56 0.17 0.63 0.94 6.08
Table 4. Distribution of F – value between the inhibition efficiencies of various concentrations of Urea – Zn2+ system.
Table 5. Corrosion Parameters of carbon steel immersed in sea water in the absence and presence of inhibitors obtained by polarization
method
stretching frequency has shifted from 1453 cm-1 to 1413 cm-1. This indicates that the urea has coordinated with
Fe2+ on the metal surface through oxygen atom of C=O group and nitrogen atom of N – H group resulting in the
formation of Fe2+ - Urea complex. The peak at 1386 cm-1 is due to Zn – O stretching. These observations
indicate the presence of Zn(OH)2 formed on the metal surface. Thus the FTIR study leads to the conclusion that
the protective film consist of Fe2+ - Urea complex and Zn(OH)2 formed on the metal surface 21- 24.
Fig. 3. (b) FTIR Spectrum of the film formed on the metal surface.
The value of Ra, Rq and P-V for the polished carbon steel surface (reference sample) are 5.6241nm, 8.1069 nm
and 44.40 nm respectively, which shows a more homogeneous surface, with some places in where the height is
lower than the average depth 34. Fig.4. (a, d, g) displays the uncorroded metal surface. The slight roughness
observed on the polished carbon steel surface is due to atmospheric corrosion. The average roughness, rms
roughness and P-V height values for the carbon steel surface immersed in sea water are 32.9000 nm, 40.2000
nm and 140.60 nm respectively. These data suggests that carbon steel surface immersed in sea water has a
greater surface roughness than the polished metal surface, which shows that unprotected carbon steel surface is
rougher and was due to the corrosion of the carbon steel in sea water. Fig.4. (b, e, h) displays corroded metal
surface with few pits.
Table 6. AFM data for carbon steel surface immersed in inhibited and uninhibited environments
Maximum
Average (Ra) RMS (Rq)
peak-to-valley
Samples Roughness Roughness
(P-V) height
(nm) (nm)
(nm)
Polished carbon
5.6241 8.1069 44.40
steel (control)
Carbon steel
immersed in sea 32.9000 40.2000 140.60
water
Carbon steel
immersed in sea
water
10.4000 14.5000 72.38
containing Urea
(250 ppm)and
Zn2+ (50ppm)
The presence of 250 ppm of Urea and 50 ppm of Zn2+ in sea water reduced the RRMS by a factor of 2.77
(14.5000 nm) from 40.2000 nm and the average roughness is significantly reduced to 7.1882 nm when
compared with 32.9000 nm of carbon steel surface immersed in sea water. The maximum peak-to-valley height
also was reduced to 72.38 nm. These parameters confirm that the surface appears smoother. The smoothness of
the surface is due to the formation of a compact protective film of Fe2+ - Urea complex and Zn(OH)2 on the
metal surface thereby inhibiting the corrosion of carbon steel. Also the above parameter observed are somewhat
greater than the AFM data of polished metal surface which confirms the formation of the film on the metal
surface, which is protective in nature.
Fig. 4. The cross-sectional profiles, which are corresponding to as Shown broken lines (black colour) in AFM images of carbon steel
surface.
(a) Polished carbon steel (control)
(b) Carbon steel immersed in sea water (blank)
(c) Carbon steel immersed in sea water containing Urea (250 ppm) + Zn2+ (50 ppm)
When the formulation consisting of 250 ppm of urea and 50 ppm of Zn2+ in sea water there is a
formation of urea – Zn2+ complex in solution.
When carbon steel is immersed in this solution urea – Zn2+ complex diffuses from the bulk of the
solution towards the metal surface.
Urea – Zn2+ complex is converted into urea – Fe2+ complex on the anodic sites of the metal surface
with the release of Zn2+ ion.
Zn2+ – Urea + Fe2+ ----------> Fe2+ – Urea + Zn2+
Thus the protective film consists of Fe2+ – Urea complex and Zn(OH)2.
In near neutral aqueous solution the anodic reaction is the formation of Fe2+. This anodic reaction is
controlled by the formation of Urea – Fe2+ complex on the anodic site of the metal surface. The
cathodic reaction is the generation of OH–. It is controlled by formation of Zn(OH)2 on the cathodic
sites of the metal surface.
Fe ----------> Fe2+ + 2 e– (Anodic reaction)
H2O + ½ O2 +2e– ----------->2 OH – (Cathodic reaction)
Fe2+ + Urea ----------> Fe2+ - Urea complex
Zn2+ + 2 OH – -----------> Zn(OH)2
5. Conclusions
The formulation consisting of 250 ppm Urea and 50 ppm Zn2+ shows 94% IE. The synergism parameter and F –
test confirms the existence of synergistic effect between urea and Zn2+ ion. The polarization study reveals that
Urea – Zn2+ system controls cathodic reaction predominantly. FTIR spectra reveal that the protective film
consists of Fe2+ – Urea complex and Zn(OH)2. The AFM images confirm the formation of protective layer on
the metal surface and hence the corrosion process is inhibited.
Acknowledgement
The authors are thankful to their respective managements and All India Council for Technical Education
(AICTE), New Delhi, India.
References
[1] J.G.N. Thomas, Some New New Fundamental Aspects in Corrosion inhibition, 5th European Symposium on Corrosion Inhibitors,
Ferrara, Italy , 453 (1981).
[2] B.D. Doneelly, T.C. Downie, C, R. Grzeskowaik, H.R. Hamburg and D. Short, Corrosion Science 38: 109 (1997).
[3] A.B. Tadros and Y. Abdel-Naby, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 224: 433 (1988).
[4] N.C. Subramanyam, B.S. Sheshadri and S.M. Mayanna, Corrosion Science 34: 563 (1993).
[5] Joseph M. Sandri, John M. Calentine, Paadena and Seymour M. Liner, United States Patent 19: (1980).
[6] Da-Quan Zhang, Li-Xin Gao and Guo-Ding Zhou, Surface and Coatings Technology 204: 1646-1650 (2010).
[7] D. Prakash singh, R. Kumar, G. Udayabhanu kumari and Ranju, Bulleting of Electrochemistry 22: 257-262 (2006).
[8] G. Wranglen, Introduction to Corrosion and Protection of Metals, Chapman and Hall, London, 236 (1985).
[9] Benita Sherine, A. Jamal Abdul Nasser and S. Rajendran, Inhibitive action of hydroquinone – Zn2+ system in controlling the corrosion
of carbon steel in well water, International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology 2 (4): 341-357 (2010).
[10] K. Anuradha, R. Vimala, B. Narayanasamy, J. Arockia Selvi and S. Raji, Corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in low chloride media by
an aqueous extract of Hibiscus Rosasinensis Linn, Chemical Engineering Communication 195: 352-366 (2008).
[11] S. Agnesia Kanimozhi and S. Rajendran, Inhibitive properties of sodium tungstate-Zn2+ system and its synergism with HEDP,
International Journal of Electrochemical Science 4: 353-368 (2009).
[12] S. Rajendran, S. Shanmuga priya, T. Rajalakshmi and A. John Amalraj, Corrosion inhibition by an aqueous extract of Rhizome
powder, Corrosion 61: 685-692 (2005).
[13] S. Rajendran, A. Raji, J. Arockia Selvi, A. Rosaly and Thangasamy, Evaluation of Gender Bias in use of Modular instruction and
Concepts of Organic chemistry Nomenclature, Journals of Material Education 29: 245-258 (2007).
[14] S. Rajendran, A. Raji, J. Arockia Selvi, A. Rosaly and Thangasamy, Parents’ Education and Achievement Scores in Chemistry,
EDUTRACKS 6: 30-33 (2007).
[15] Y. Yesu Thangam, M. Kalanithi and C. Mary Anbarasi and S. Rajendran, Inhibition of corrosion of carbon steel in a dam water by
sodium molybdate – Zn2+ system, The Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering 34 (20): 49-60 (2009).
[16] Susai Rajendran, B.R. Earnest John Peter, A. Peter Pascal Regis, A. John Amalraj and M. Sundaravadivelu, Influence of chloride ion
concentration on the inhibition efficiency of the HEDP-Zn2+ system, Transactions of the SAEST 38 (1): 11-15 (2003).
[17] S. Shanthi, J. Arockia Selvi, S. Agnesia Kanimozhi, S. Rajendran, A. John Amalraj, B. Narayanasamy and N. Vijaya, Corrosion
behaviour of carbon steel in the presence of iodide ion, Journal of Electrochemical Society of India 56 ½ : 48-51 (2007).
[18] X. Joseph Raj and N. Rajendran, Corrosion inhibition effect of substituted thiadiazoles on brass, International Journal of
Electrochemical Science 6: 348-366 (2011).
[19] S. Agnesia Kanimozhi and S. Rajendran, Realization of synergism in sodium tungstate - Zn2+- N-(Phosphenomethyl)
Iminodiaceticacid system in well water, The Open Corrosion Journal 2: 166-174 (2009).
[20] M. Manivannan and S. Rajendran, Thiourea – Zn2+ system as corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in Marine media, Journal of
Chemical, Biological and Physical Sciences 1 (2): 241-249 (2011).
[21] K. Nakamoto, Infrared and Raman Spectra of Inorganic and Coordination Compounds, Wiley and Sons, New York, 4th edition, 95
(1986).
[22] R.M. Silverstein, G.C. Bassler and T.C. Morril, Spectrometric Identification of Organic compounds, John Wiley and Sons, New York,
72 – 110 (1986).
[23] A. Leema Rose, Felicia Rajammal Selvarani, A. Peter Pascal Regis, S. Rajendran, S. Kanchana and A. Krishnaveni, Corrosion
inhibition by momosodium glutamate – Zn2+ system, Zastita Materijala 50 (4): 187 – 192 (2009).
[24] I. Sekine and V. Hirakawa, Corrosion 42: 276 (1986).
[25] S. Rajendran, B.V. Appa Rao and N. Palaniswamy, Proceedings of 2nd Arabian Corrosion Conference, Kuwait: 483 (1996).
[26] J. Arockia Selvi, Susai Rajendran and J. Jeyasundari, Analysis of nano film by atomic force microscopy, Zastita Materijala 50 (2): 91-
98 (2009).
[27] R. Vera, R. Schrebler, P. Cury, R. Rio and H. Romero, Corrosion protection of carbon steel and copper by polyaniline and poly (ortho-
methoxyaniline) films in sodium chloride medium. Electrochemical and morphological study, Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 37
(4): 519-525 (2007).
[28] Ph. Dumas, B. Bouffakhreddine, C. Amra, O. Vatel, E. Andre, R. Galindo and F. Salvan, Quantitative Microroughness Analysis down
to the nanometer scale, Europhysics Letters 22 (9): 717-722 (1993).
[29] J.M. Bennett, J. Jahanmir, J.C. Podlesny, T. L. Baiter and D.T. Hobbs, Scanning Force Microscopy as a tool for Studying Optical
Surfaces, Applied Optics 34 (1): 213-230 (1995).
[30] A. Duparre, N. Kaiser, H. Truckenbrodt, M.R. Berger and A. Kohler, Microtopography Investigation of Optical surface and Thin films
by Light scattering, Optical profilometry and Atomic Force Microscopy, International Symposium on Optics, Imaging and
Instrumentation, San Diego, CA, Proceedings of SPIE 1995: 181-192 (1993).
[31] A. Duaparre, N. Kaiser and S. Jakobs, Morphology Investigation by Atomic Force Microscopy of Thin films and Substances for
Excimer laser mirrors, Annual Symposium on Optical Materials for High Power Lasers, Boulder, CO, Proceedings of SPIE 2114: 394
(1993).
[32] C. Amra, C. Deumie, D. Torricini, P. Roche, R. Galindo, P. Dumas and F. Salvan, Overlapping of Roughness spectra measured in
microscopic (optical) and microscopic (AFM) bandwidths, International Symposium on Optical Interference Coatings, Proceedings of
SPIE 2253: 614-630 (1994).
[33] T.R. Thomas, Rough Surface, Longman, New York: (1982).
[34] K.J. Stout, P.J. Sullivan and P.A. Mc Keown, The use of 3D Topographic analysis to determine the Microgeometric Transfer
characteristics of Textured sheet surfaces through rolles, Annals CRIP 41: 621 (1992).