Experimental and Theoretical Study of Ketoconazole as Corrosion Inhibitor for Bronze in NaCl+Na2SO4 Solution

An antifungal, Ketoconazole, 1-[4-[4-[[(2R,4S)-2-(2,4-dichlorophenil)-2-(imidazol-1- ilmetil)-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl]metoxi]phenil]piperazin-1-yl]ethanol, has been evaluated as corrosion inhibitor for bronze in 3.5% M NaCl + 0.1M Na2SO4 solution with electrochemical techniques, including potentiodynamic polarization curves, linear polarization resistance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements at different concentrations and temperatures. Additionally, theoretical studies have been performed by using density functional theory (DFT) in order to know the relationship between the electronic properties of Ketoconazole and its inhibitive effect. Results show that Ketoconazole turned out to be a good mixed type of inhibitor, which is adsorbed in a physical way on to the metal surface by following a Langmuir type of adsorption isotherm. Inhibitor efficiency increases with time and inhibitor concentration, but it decreases with an increase in the temperature.