Corrosion Inhibition of Aluminum in 1M HCl Using Baobab Tree Pulp Extract

A corrosion study of Aluminum in 1M HCL was carried out using Baobab tree pulp extract as the potential corrosion inhibitor. Weight loss measurement was adopted to evaluate the inhibition efficiency of the extract, corrosion product and surface coverage. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for surface morphology examination. The result of the inhibition efficiency shows that extract inhibition increases with an increase in inhibitor concentration and contact time, while corrosion rate decreases with increases in contact time and extract concentration. FT-IR result of the extract corrosion product shows that some of the compounds present in the FT-IR result of the extract appear in the corrosion product, which indicates activity has taken place between the metal surface and the inhibitor, as such reduces the rate of aluminum corrosion in 1m HCL. Also SEM image of the inhibited metal coupon appears to be smooth when compared with the uninhibited one, which proved the inhibitor reduces the rate of aluminum corrosion in 1m HCL. This implies that the extract can inhibit acid corrosion of aluminum