Inhibition effect of hexadecyl pyridinium bromide on the corrosion behavior of some austenitic stainless steels in H2SO4 solutions

The inhibition effect of hexadecyl pyridinium bromide (HDPB) as a cationic surfactant on the corrosion behavior of some Egyptian austenitic stainless steel SS 304L, SS 316H and SS 304H in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solutions was investigated by using potentiodynamic polarization technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicate that HDPB is a good inhibitor for the samples under investigation in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solutions. In addition, the inhibition efficiency η% increases with the inhibitor concentration while decreases with the increasing temperature referring to physical adsorption. The adsorption of the inhibitor obeys a Temkin adsorption isotherm. Polarization curves show that HDPB is a mixed inhibitor in H₂SO₄ solutions. The results obtained from polarization and impedance measurements are in good agreement. Activation-free energies, enthalpies, and entropies for the inhibition process of HDPB were determined.