Cefotaxime sodium: A new and efficient corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

The corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 1 M HCl solution by cefotaxime sodium has been studied by Tafel polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and weight loss measurement. The inhibitor showed 95.8% inhibition efficiency at optimum concentration 300 ppm. Results obtained revealed that inhibition occurs through adsorption of the cefotaxime on metal surface without modifying the mechanism of corrosion process. Potentiodynamic polarization studies suggest that it is a mixed type of inhibitor. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques were also used to investigate the mechanism of corrosion inhibition.