Corrosion Mitigation of Medium Carbon Steel in HCl Solution Using Ficus Carica Leaf Extract: Mass Loss Technique

The corrosion of medium carbon steel in acidic environments poses significant industrial and economic challenges. In this study, the inhibitory performance of fig leaf (Ficus carica) extract as a eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for medium carbon steel in 0.5 M HCl was investigated using the weight loss technique and DFT calculations. Weight loss methods were used to evaluate the inhibition performance over two time intervals (3-hours and 24-hours). The results showed that the inhibition efficiency increased with increasing extract concentration, with a maximum efficiency of 94.52% after 24-hours at 480 ppm. The enhanced performance over time is attributed to the gradual adsorption of phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and tannins, which form a stable, adherent barrier that limits the interaction between the metal and corrosive species. These findings support the potential use of fig leaf extract as a sustainable and green corrosion inhibitor compared to conventional corrosion inhibitors for medium steel protection in acidic environments.