Triazole, benzotriazole and substituted benzotriazoles as corrosion inhibitors of iron in aerated acidic media

The effect of a 1H-1,2,3-triazole, 1,2,3-benzotriazole and a number of substituted benzotriazoles, namely 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, 1H-benzotriazole-1-methanol and N-(1H-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)-formamide, have been investigated with respect to the corrosion of iron in 1 mol/l HCl and 1 mol/l HClO₄. The Tafel extrapolation method, linear polarization resistance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy illustrate the inhibiting effect of all of these compounds in both acids. They are better inhibitors in 1 mol/l HCl than in 1 mol/l HClO₄. The changes of charge transfer resistance are also indicative for adsorption and inhibition of all of these compounds. This effect increases with time up to 16 h. An equivalent circuit is suggested as a model for the impedance. The adsorption of triazole-type of compounds in both acids follows a Langmuir isotherm. Molecular modeling was used to gain some insight, about structural and electronic effects in relation to the inhibiting efficiencies.