Novel quaternary ammonium hydroxide cationic surfactants as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel and as biocides for sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB)

A series of alkyl dimethylisopropylammonium hydroxide cationic surfactants (DEDIAOH, DODIAOH and HEDIAOH) was synthesized and characterized. The surface properties such as the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the effectiveness of surface tension reduction (ΠCMC), surface excess concentration (Γmax) and surface area per molecule (Amin) have been determined by means of surface tension measurements. The degree of counter ion dissociation (β) and the free energy of micellization (ΔGmic) were calculated. The corrosion inhibition of the synthesized cationic surfactants on carbon steel surface in 1 M HCl solution was investigated. For this purpose, a series of techniques such as gravimetric measurement, potentiodynamic polarization and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used. The values of activation energy for carbon steel corrosion and the thermodynamic parameters such as adsorption equilibrium constant (Kads), free energy of adsorption image, adsorption heat image and adsorption entropy image values were evaluated. Results showed that HEDIAOH had better inhibition effect than DEDIAOH and DODIAOH of the corrosion of carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution and inhibition efficiency is higher than 96% after 24 h at 1 × 10−2 M concentration of the inhibitor. The inhibition efficiency is discussed in terms of strong adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the metal surface and formation of a protective film. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed a good surface coverage on the metal surface. The Biological activity was examined against sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) by dilution method.