Gravimetric and Electrochemical Studies on Texas Red Dye as Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in 1 M Hydrochloric Acid

exas Red is a red fluorescent dye generally used in staining of the cell specimens. In the present study, Texas Red is used as inhibitor for mild steel surface corrosion in acidic environment of aqueous hydrochloric acid of 1 M strength. Gravimetric study, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization such as Tafel polarization techniques were used to investigate the inhibitor’s efficiency towards mild steel corrosion and the process of inhibition. Texas Red appeared to be a highly effective corrosion inhibitor for the surface of mild steel, with effectiveness of 97.6% at 300 ppm concentration. Tafel polarization indicates that it is a inhibitor is mixed type and retarded both anodic and cathodic reaction involve in the corrosion of mild steel. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revealed that the increase in the concentration of Texas Red dropped the double layer capacitance and increased the resistance to charge transfer. Surface morphology investigations employing scanning electron microscopy on metal samples in the absence and presence of Texas Red supported these outcomes.