Influence of tramadol [2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-1-(3-methoxyphenyl) cyclohexanol hydrate] on corrosion inhibition of mild steel in acidic media

Tramadol2-(dimethylamino)methyl]-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)cyclohexanol hydrate], a drug, was tested as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 0.5 M HCl and 0.25 M H₂SO₄ separately at 300, 310 and 320 K using mass loss and galvanostatic polarization techniques. The percentage protection efficiencies were evaluated at different concentrations of the inhibitor at different temperatures. The protection efficiency increased with increase in inhibitor concentration and decreased with increase in temperature in both the acid solutions. Galvanostatic polarization studies showed that the inhibitor is of mixed type with a slight predominance of cathodic character. The inhibitor was more active in HCl than in H₂SO₄. The maximum protection efficiency approached 82.6% in the presence of 2.16 × 10⁻³ M inhibitor. Some samples of mild steel were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The inhibitor was found to adsorb on the mild steel surface according to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The thermodynamic functions of dissolution and adsorption processes were evaluated.