Effects of 5-(3-aminophenyl)-tetrazole on the inhibition of unalloyed iron corrosion in aerated 3.5% sodium chloride solutions as a corrosion inhibitor

The effects of 5-(3-aminophenyl)-tetrazole (APT) on the inhibition of unalloyed iron corrosion in aerated 3.5% NaCl solutions as a corrosion inhibitor have been studied using open circuit potential (OCP), cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The inhibited iron surface was characterized by scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) investigations. The OCP showed positive shifts of potential in the presence of APT and the increase of its concentration. CPP and CA measurements indicated that APT molecules decrease the pitting and uniform corrosions through decreasing the pitting and absolute currents, and corrosion rate as well as shifting the corrosion and pitting potentials of iron towards the noble values. EIS plots revealed that APT increases the surface and polarization resistances of iron. SEM/EDS investigations proved that the inhibition of iron corrosion in NaCl containing APT solutions is achieved by the adsorption of APT molecules onto iron to preclude the dissolution process by blocking the active sites on its surface.