Triazole, Benzotriazole and Naphthotriazole as Corrosion Inhibitors for Copper

The use of triazole, benzotriazole, and naphthotriazole as corrosion inhibitors for copper is briefly reviewed. The corrosion of copper immersed in acidic, neutral, and alkaline solutions containing these compounds is reported. Triazole has generally been found to be a poor inhibitor, while benzotriazole and naphthotriazole are much better, with naphthotriazole giving the best protection. When used as a pretreatment for copper surfaces, all three inhibitors increase the time before atmospheric staining occurs, naphthotriazole is better than benzotriazole, and both are better than triazole.