The inhibition efficiency of polymers are highly dependent on group functionalities as well as adsorption characteristics, electronic properties, and molecular weight. The modification of these properties pave the way for future research in inhibitor technology.
Introduction
The inherent protection of metals and their alloys used in industry are of the upmost importance when it comes to longevity and reliability of structures. Many chemical compounds have been developed over the years that can inhibit the corrosion rate of metal alloys but cost effectiveness, toxicity, processibility and other factors limit the applications1. The need for new, eco-friendly and cost effective corrosion inhibitors have led to research in the field of polymer chemistry.
Discussion
The performance of a polymeric corrosion inhibitor is a function of its size and number of functional anchoring groups1. The anchoring groups allow the polymer to adsorb to the metal surface and assist in corrosion mitigation. Other main factors that influence corrosion protection are molecular size, weight, pH, and composition.
It has been observed that adsorption characteristics of a polymer strongly depend on …show more content…
It would be ideal to know the interactions between functional groups and how they can be used to potentially increase inhibition efficiency. A possible approach to predicting the characteristics of chemical structures is through the use of quantum chemistry. Frontier orbitals are the predominant force that determines reactivity within a molecule and can be chemically composed to meet certain requirements. The best corrosion inhibitors typically have electron-rich functional groups such as nitrogen, oxygen, or aromatic rings that can donate electron density and adsorb readily to the metal surface7. Knowing these facts, it is possible to design a good polymeric corrosion