Corrosion Inhibition Performance and Mechanism of Imidazole-based Gemini Ionic Liquid for N80 Steel in 1 mol/L HCl Solution

doi:10.11902/1005.4537.2025.194

Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection

2026, Vol. 46

Issue (3): 855-863 DOI: 10.11902/1005.4537.2025.194

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Corrosion Inhibition Performance and Mechanism of Imidazole-based Gemini Ionic Liquid for N80 Steel in 1 mol/L HCl Solution

SU Huiling, WANG Zhikun(

), HU Songqing

School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China

Cite this article:

SU Huiling, WANG Zhikun, HU Songqing. Corrosion Inhibition Performance and Mechanism of Imidazole-based Gemini Ionic Liquid for N80 Steel in 1 mol/L HCl Solution. Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection, 2026, 46(3): 855-863.

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Abstract

In this study, the twin imidazolyl ionic liquid [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂ was successfully prepared through the substitution reaction of 1, 10-dibromodecane with 1-propyl-2-methylimidazole imidazole. The molecular structure was confirmed to be intact, and the thermal stability was good by infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and thermogrirmetric analysis. The corrosion inhibition behavior of this ionic liquid on N80 steel in 1 mol/L HCl solution was systematically investigated via static mass loss measurement, electrochemical analysis and surface characterization after corrosion. The results show that when the concentration of the corrosion inhibitor is 50 mg/L, the corrosion inhibition efficiency reaches above 70%. The efficiency gradually increases with the increase of concentration. When it reaches 200 mg/L, it tends to stabilize after reaching 90%. [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂ can act on the reactions both on anode and cathode simultaneously, comprehensively inhibiting the corrosion process and thus belongs to a mixed type of corrosion inhibitor. The corrosion morphology of the steel sheet with the addition of corrosion inhibitors was significantly improved, the contact angle increased, and the characteristic peak of Fe—N bonds appeared in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, revealing the chemical coordination adsorption mechanism between the N atoms of the imidazole ring and Fe on the surface of the steel sheet. Molecular simulation shows that this corrosion inhibitor promotes electron transfer through a narrow energy gap (4.955 eV), preferentially adsorbs parallel to the iron surface (1.79 nm), and forms a stable protective film relying on Van der Waals forces, effectively blocking corrosive media and demonstrating excellent corrosion inhibition performance.

Key words: corrosion inhibitor imidazolyl ionic liquid coordination

Received: 23 June 2025 32134.14.1005.4537.2025.194

ZTFLH:

TG113.23

Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(52204066);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52474020)

Corresponding Authors: WANG Zhikun, E-mail: wangzhikun@upc.edu.cn

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https://www.jcscp.org/EN/10.11902/1005.4537.2025.194 OR https://www.jcscp.org/EN/Y2026/V46/I3/855

Fig.1 Preparation flowchart of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂

Fig.2 Infrared spectrum (a), proton NMR spectrum (b) and thermogravimetric curve (c) of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂

Fig.3 Corrosion inhibition efficiency and corrosion rate curves of N80 steel after immersion in 1 mol/L HCl solution containing different concentrations of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂ for 24 h

Fig.4 Nyquist (a), Bode (b) plots and polarization curves (c) of N80 steel in 1 mol/L HCl solution containing different concentrations of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂

Table 1 Electrochemical impedance parameters of N80 steel in 1 mol/L HCl solution containing different concentrations of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂

Table 2 Dynamic potential polarization parameters of N80 steel in 1 mol/L HCl solution containing different concentrations of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂

Fig.5 SEM images, AFM and roughness curve of N80 steel after soaking in 1 mol/L HCl solution without (a-c) and 200 mg/L (d-f) [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂ for 24 h

Fig.6 XPS spectra (a-c) of N80 steel immersed in 1 mol/L HCl solution containing 200 mg/L [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂ for 24 h and contact angle diagrams (d) after immersion in 1 mol/L HCl solution containing different concentration of [C₂(Bim)₁₀]Br₂ for 24 h

Fig.7 Orbital energy levels of the corrosion inhibitor (a), the concentration distribution of the corrosion inhibitor and water on the iron surface (b), the interaction energy between the corrosion inhibitor and the iron surface as well as with the solution (c), and the average azimuth movement curves of the corrosion inhibitor in different directions on the metal surface (d)

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