In this study, green walnut husk (GWH) extract was explored as a cost-effective (waste-agricultural) and eco-friendly inhibitor to increase the corrosion resistance of carbon steel in a 1 M HCl solution. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, weight change, and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) tests were utilized to examine the electrochemical behavior of steel substrates with and without the inhibitor. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed to analyze corroded surface structures with and without the inhibitor. This inhibitor was found to be 27-82 % efficient in increasing the corrosion resistance of the steel substrates. When the temperature of the solution was increased from 303 to 323 K, the retardation coefficient decreased due to the physical adsorption of GWH molecules on the surface. The results indicated that GWH acted as a mixed inhibitor, and its adsorption on the surface followed the Langmuir model. AFM measurements showed that the roughness of corroded surfaces decreased by approximately 22 % when the GWH concentration was at its optimum level of 400 ppm. Thermodynamic studies displayed a decrease in the corrosion reaction's activation energy of about 25 %. FTIR and XRD patterns of corroded surfaces represented that hydrated iron chloride was the dominant corrosion product. Furthermore, the results provided insight into the GWH adsorption mechanism.
Keywords: Corrosion; Green walnut husk extract; HCl solution; Inhibition mechanism; Steel protection.
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