Insight into the anti–corrosion performance of Artemisia argyi leaves extract as eco–friendly corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in HCl medium

At present, an important goal in the field of corrosion is to develop effective and environment–friendly corrosion inhibitors. Newly developed corrosion inhibitors can be used to substitute conventional corrosion inhibitors, which are toxic and undegradable. Herein, Artemisia argyi leaves extract (ALE) as high–efficiency corrosion inhibitor of carbon steel in HCl solution was investigated. The functional groups of ALE were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization curve (Tafel), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), quantum chemical (QC) calculations, and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) were used to examine the inhibitory performance and mechanism of ALE. The findings indicate that ALE is a good mixed–type corrosion inhibitor. It can be used to slow down the corrosion of carbon steel in HCl, with a maximum inhibition efficiency of 96.4% at 298 K. In addition, the Langmuir adsorption model is used to explain the adsorption of this corrosion inhibitor on carbon steel surfaces. Furthermore, the corrosion inhibition mechanism of ALE can be proved by quantum calculation results and molecular dynamics simulations.