Evaluating prolonged corrosion inhibition performance of benzyltributylammonium tetrachloroaluminate ionic liquid using electrochemical analysis and Monte Carlo simulation

Corrosion inhibition performance of a newly synthesized ionic liquid Benzyltributylammonium tetrachloroaluminate [BTBA](+)[AlCl4](-) on carbon steel has been studied using electrochemical impedance and noise analysis in 2 N HCl medium. The synthesized product was characterized by ATR-FTIR and H-1 NMR spectroscopic studies. The investigation revealed that the synthesized ionic liquid, [BTBA](+)[AlCl4](- )showed a remarkable noise and charge transfer resistance against corrosion. The adsorption behaviour of [BTBA](+)[AlCl4](-) on metal surface was found to follow Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibition efficiency is measured as a function of immersion time and exhibited prolonged protection against acidic corrosion. Results derived from UV-Vis spectra explained the complex formation between the metal surface and ionic liquid in acid medium. SEM/EDAX has been used to examine the surface protection offered by the ionic liquid. [BTBA](+)[AlCl4](-)ionic liquid exhibited good corrosion inhibitor property with an efficiency of 97% at the optimum concentration. Quantum chemical analysis and molecular simulation studies were performed to support the experimental data. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.