The application of polycarbazole, polycarbazole/nanoclay and polycarbazole/Zn-nanoparticles as a corrosion inhibition for SS304 in saltwater

Polycarbazole (PCz), polycarbazole/nanoclay and polycarbazole/Zn-nanocomposites were chemically and electrochemically synthesized on a stainless steel (SS304) electrode. The modified electrodes were characterized by electrochemical methods (CV and chronoamperometry), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)-attenuated transmission reflectance (ATR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), four point probe, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and equivalent circuit model of R-s(Q(c)(R-c(Q(p)R(ct)))). The electrochemical behavior of the modified films on SS304 was assessed by open circuit potential monitoring, potentiodynamic polarization and EIS measurements to test the corrosion protection efficiency against 3.5% NaCl solution. PCz, PCz/nanoclay and PCz/nanoZn films obtained by chemical method coated on SS304 electrode exhibited better corrosion protection performance compared to the films obtained by the electrochemical method. This result may be attributed to the effective formation of a thin and protective layer. The highest protection efficiency (PE=99.81%) was obtained for chemically synthesized PCz films. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.