Quartz Crystal Microbalance Study of Adenosine as Inhibitor for Fe Corrosion in HCl Solution

Adenosine is known to be a corrosion inhibitor for Fe-based metal. We report the real-time mass change due to the adsorption of adenosine molecules/complex on iron in HCl solution using the quartz crystal microbalance. It is proposed that the adsorption process of adenosine molecules/complex could happen along with iron dissolution process at rest potential. During polarization measurement, the mass loss of the surface of iron was positively related to the resistance of the solution with adenosine. It is believed that during the anodic reaction, the mass loss was caused by desorption of the pre-adsorbed adenosine molecules and also iron dissolution.