Enhancing the corrosion resistance of reinforcing steel under aggressive operational conditions using behentrimonium chloride

Aggressive operational conditions e.g. saline media and acidic gases, e.g., CO(2) can increase the corrosion rate of reinforcing steel. Accordingly, the necessity to protect the steel under the above conditions without affecting the mechanical properties of the concrete is growing. Herein, the inhibition efficiency of a new corrosion inhibitor, behentrimonium chloride (BTC, C(25)H(54)ClN), is explored in a simulated-concrete pore solution (SCP) with 3.5 wt.% NaCl at different pH using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization methods. Using only a 50 μmol L(−1) of BTC, we are able to measure an inhibition efficiency of 91, 79, and 71% in SCP solution with 3.5% NaCl at pH of 12.5, 10 and 7, respectively without showing any effect on the mechanical properties on the cured mortars. Temkin isotherm is used to describe the physisorption of BTC inhibitor on the steel surface. Also, the adsorption and influence of the inhibitor on the metal surface are characterized using the scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In conclusion, this new inhibitor shows high corrosion inhibition efficiencies under different aggressive conditions and can be used in concrete to reduce the corrosion rate of reinforcing steel without decreasing the mechanical properties of the concrete.