Application of surfactants in corrosion inhibition of metals

Metal corrosion is the degradation of a metal due to its reaction with the environment. One of the most effective ways of securing metal surface from corrosion is the use of corrosion inhibitors. Surfactants are an important category of corrosion inhibitors that have intrinsic amphiphilicity. The anticorrosion efficacy of surfactants is closely related to their chemical composition, molecular structure, and adsorption affinity on the metal surface. This review first summarizes the corrosion inhibition mechanism of surfactants and elucidates the influence of charge properties and structural characteristics on their corrosion inhibition efficiency, and then discusses the recent development of novel surfactants for metal anticorrosion application. Next, the synergistic effects of surfactants and other materials for metal anticorrosion are elucidated. We finally discuss the problems and challenges for the development of surfactant corrosion inhibitors and give a perspective in this field, hoping to provide help for future research.