Design, Synthesis, and Electrochemical Evaluation of Eco-Friendly Schiff Base Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel in Acidic Environments

Abstract

Corrosion of mild steel in acidic environments represents one of the most significant challenges encountered in industrial processes such as acid pickling, oil and gas production, petrochemical refining, acid descaling, and chemical manufacturing. Excessive corrosion not only shortens the service life of metallic structures but also increases maintenance costs, environmental risks, and operational downtime. Although numerous synthetic corrosion inhibitors have been developed, many conventional inhibitors exhibit high toxicity, poor biodegradability, and adverse environmental impacts, limiting their practical application under increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Schiff base compounds have recently emerged as promising eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors because of their facile synthesis, excellent adsorption characteristics, abundant electron-donating functional groups, and strong coordination ability with metal surfaces. This research presents the design, synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical evaluation of environmentally benign Schiff base corrosion inhibitors for protecting mild steel in acidic media