Investigating the corrosion inhibitory properties of 1-benzyl-4- imidazolidinone on mild steel in hydrochloric acid: a thorough experimental and quantum chemical study

This study investigates the inhibitory efficacy of 1-benzyl-4-imidazolidinone (BMI) in a 1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in aggressive environments.Varying the inhibitor concentration reveals notable inhibition efficiency, reaching 94.8% at 0.5 mM BMI in 1 M HCl.The research explores the impact of immersion periods and temperatures on BMI's inhibitory performance.Integrating experimental weight loss measurements with density functional theory (DFT) quantum chemical computations, the study uncovers the inhibitory mechanism.Experimental results demonstrate a significant reduction in the corrosion rate of mild steel with BMI, highlighting its potential as a highly efficient corrosion inhibitor.DFT calculations attribute BMI's inhibitory action to robust adsorption onto the mild steel surface, aligning with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and suggesting the formation of a protective monolayer.This monolayer acts as a potent barrier, impeding access to active sites and retarding the corrosion process, contributing to the observed high inhibition efficiency.In conclusion, the research underscores BMI's remarkable inhibition efficiency in 1 M HCl for mild steel, considering varying inhibitor concentrations, immersion periods, and temperatures.Insights from experimental and theoretical approaches emphasize BMI's potential as an effective corrosion inhibitor, offering valuable contributions to practical corrosion protection methods, particularly beneficial for industries relying on mild steel components in corrosive environments.