A Study of Adsorption of 5-Mercaptopentyl-3-amino-1,2,4-triazole on Copper in Neutral Solutions

The inhibiting action by 5-mercaptopetyl-3-amino-1,2,4-triazole and its adsorption on copper in neutral borate buffer solutions were studied. The potentiodynamic curves were used to detect the influence of the inhibitor concentration on the anodic dissolution current and activation potential of passive state. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was applied to determine both the composition and thickness of surface films as a function of the exposure time of the sample in a solution containing the inhibitor. Quantum-chemical calculations made it possible to identify the most probable structure of a copper–inhibitor complex.