Shielding against erosion: Exploring the effectiveness of pre-erosion surface corrosion inhibitors

[Display omitted] This study investigates the corrosion inhibition effect and adsorption process of two imidazoline corrosion inhibitors, HEIE and TDEI, on pre-eroded X65 steel surfaces. Analysis of weight loss and electrochemical measurements suggests that the irregular structure of pre-eroded surfaces may impede the uniform adsorption of corrosion inhibitors, resulting in reduced effectiveness pre-erosion. Particularly, at a 30° angle of pre-erosion, corrosion inhibition efficacy is observed to be at its lowest. The corrosion inhibition rates of HEIE and TDEI on X65 steel surfaces are found to be 11.9 % lower under pre-eroded conditions at a 30° angle compared to non-eroded surfaces at the same angle. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations support these findings, indicating that TDEI exhibits lower energy bandgap values and more negative adsorption energies (Eads) compared to HEIE, aligning with experimental results. Moreover, TDEI demonstrates a smaller diffusion coefficient for corrosive agents than HEIE, suggesting stronger adsorption efficiency and a more pronounced protective effect. Study of the corrosion inhibition effect on pre-eroded surfaces provides new ideas and methods for improving protective measures.