Inhibition of the Corrosion of Aluminum Alloy in Aqueous Solution of Ethylene Glycol by the Rhamnolipid Biocomplex

We study the efficiency of inhibition of corrosion processes in the aluminum alloy placed in an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol by an ecologically friendly rhamnolipid biocomplex obtained as the product of biosynthesis of the Pseudomonas sp. PS-17 strain. It is shown that the biogenic inhibitor added to an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol decreases the rates of both the anodic and cathodic reactions and makes the charge-transfer resistance of aluminum alloy 2.6 times higher, which indicates the possibility of formation of durable protective films on the metal as a result of the adsorption of inhibitor molecules and the formation of complex compounds with aluminum cations. It is shown that the rhamnolipid biocomplex is an efficient corrosion inhibitor on freshly formed surfaces of the aluminum alloy, as indicated by an increase in the rate of its repassivation.