The effect of 2-aminoquinoline-6-carboxylic acid on the corrosion behavior of mild steel in hydrochloric acid

The inhibitive effect of 2-aminoquinoline-6-carboxylic acid (AQC) against mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solutions was investigated using conventional weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, linear polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods. The weight loss results showed that AQC is an excellent corrosion inhibitor since its efficiency increased with the concentration to attain 91.8 % at 500 mg l−1. Electrochemical polarization measurements revealed that AQC acted as a mixed-type inhibitor and the results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have shown that the change in the impedance parameters, charge transfer resistance and double layer capacitance, with the change in concentration of the inhibitor is due to the adsorption of the molecule leading to the formation of a protective layer on the surface of mild steel. The adsorption was assumed to occur on the steel surface through the active centers of the molecule. The inhibition action of AQC was discussed in view of Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Density functional theory calculations of quantum parameters were used to explain efficiency in relation with molecular structure.