Improved Performance of 1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate at Steel/HCl Interface by Iodide Ions

The corrosion and corrosion inhibition of St37 steel in 0.1 M HCl solution by 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMITFB) and the effect of addition of KI on the inhibitive performance of EMITFB have been examined by electrochemical [electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization, and dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (DEIS)] and surface examination [scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)] techniques. Results show that EMITFB could only afford the protection of St37 steel in HCl medium on an average scale. The highest studied concentration of EMITFB (4 mM) affords optimum inhibition efficiency of 78.86% from DEIS method. Addition of iodide ions to EMITFB has beneficial effect on the inhibition efficiency; 86.10% has been achieved by addition of 1 mM KI to 4 mM EMITFB. Adsorption of EMITFB molecules onto the metal surface is via physical adsorption mechanism and follows El Awady et al. kinetic/thermodynamic adsorption isotherm model. SEM and EDS results confirm the improvement of corrosion inhibiting ability of EMITFB by iodide ions. EMITFB and EMITFB + KI behave as mixed-type corrosion inhibitor in the studied environment.