Carbon steel corrosion inhibition in hydrochloric acid solution using a reduced Schiff base of ethylenediamine

The behavior of the Schiff base N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-ethylenediamine (Salen), its reduced form (N,N′-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,2-ethylenediamine) and a mixture of its preceding molecules, ethylenediamine and salicylaldehyde, as carbon steel corrosion inhibitors in 1 mol L⁻¹ HCl solution was studied by corrosion potential measurements, potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and spectrophotometry measurements. The experimental results showed that the reduced Salen presented the highest efficiency among the inhibitors studied. The results obtained in the presence of Salen were similar to those obtained in the presence of the salicylaldehyde and ethylenediamine mixture, showing that in acid medium the Salen molecule undergoes hydrolysis, regenerating its precursor molecules.