Synergistic effect between cationic gemini surfactant and chloride ion for the corrosion inhibition of steel in sulphuric acid

Corrosion inhibition of cold rolled steel in 0.5 mol L⁻¹ sulphuric acid by a quaternary ammonium gemini surfactant, l,3-propane-bis(dimethyl dodecylammonium bromide) (designated as 12-3-12), in the absence and presence of chloride ions was investigated at different temperatures. The results revealed significant synergistic effect between gemini 12-3-12 and chloride ions for the corrosion protection of cold rolled steel in sulphuric acid, and that the novel composite inhibitor system containing cationic gemini surfactant and chloride ions was efficient and low-cost for steel corrosion inhibition in sulphuric acid medium, even when concentration of 12-3-12 was as low as 1 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. By fitting the obtained experimental data with Langmuir adsorption model and Arrhenius equation, some thermodynamic and kinetic parameters such as adsorption free energy, the apparent activation energy, and the pre-exponential factor were estimated. The adsorption mechanism of the gemini surfactant onto steel surface in acid medium in the absence and presence of chloride ions was also discussed, respectively.