Inhibition Mechanism of Pitting Corrosion of Nickel in Aqueous Medium by Some Macrocyclic Compounds

Anodic polarization of nickel was studied by potentiostatic technique in neutral media in presence of two macrocyclic ligands. Pit initiation was detected by measuring pitting potential, Ep and the charge transfer, Q during the anodic polarization. Initiation of pitting and Q were found to be dependent on the structure and concentrations of inhibitors. Under steady state conditions, the inhibition efficiency was in the order 1, 4, 8, 11 tetraazacyclotetradecane (cyclam) > N, N’-bis (2-aminoethyl) 1, 3-propandiamine (2,3,2-tet) due to macrocyclic effect. These findings were confirmed by fitting the data to different adsorption isotherms. Adsorption on nickel surface was obeyed kinetic-thermodynamic model for the two inhibitors. Influence of [Cl–] on corrosion behavior of nickel in sulphate solution containing inhibitors was investigated. A mechanism involving three competitive equilibria of dissolution of nickel in presence and absence of the inhibitors was proposed. Empirical and theoretical kinetic equations were compared and discussed. There is a good agreement between the calculated and observed rate constants.