The corrosion behaviour of mild steel (MS) was systematically investigated as a function of the alkyl chain length in the cation of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide ([C(n)mim]TCM, n = 2, 4, 6 and 8) ionic liquids (ILs) with respect to their potential application as a structural material and solvents for CO2 capture plants respectively. The surface of MS was examined by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and micro-Raman mapping before and after immersion testing at temperatures of 70 and 80 degrees C for durations varying from 1 hour to 10 days. Corrosion initiates at the sites of MnS inclusions on the surface of MS, resulting in the formation of cavities due to the MnS dissolution, which may be surrounded by corrosion products containing magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3). The amount of the corrosion products generated around the inclusion sites decreased with the increase of the cation alkyl chain length, following the order [C(2)mim]TCM [C(4)mim] TCM [C(6)mim] TCM approximate to [C(8)mim]TCM. This was attributed to the corrosion inhibition effect of the ILs through adsorption on the metal surface and blocking active sites, with the inhibition efficiency increasing with the alkyl chain length. The underlying mechanism was associated with corrosion processes at active sites on the MS surface, such as sulphide inclusions, in the presence of residual water and oxygen in the IL. It was shown that increase of the water content in the ILs to about 50 000 ppm resulted in faster dissolution of the MnS inclusions. Finally, it was demonstrated that removal of oxygen from the IL significantly reduced the corrosion rate.
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