Inhibition mechanism of air nanobubbles on brass corrosion in circulating cooling water systems

Air nanobubbles (A-NBs) were used to inhibit the brass corrosion in circulating cooling water for the first time in the study. The results of weight loss method and electrochemical method showed that A-NBs had the obvious corrosion inhibition effect. The inhibition rate reached 52% at 35 °C. The impedance and surface characterization results of corrosion samples indicated that the corrosion inhibition mechanisms of A-NBs mainly included adsorption of corrosion ions, promoting the formation of the passivation film on metal surface and the formation of the bubble layer and scale film on metal surface. A-NBs are potential excellent corrosion inhibitors.