Inhibitory effect and adsorption characteristics of 2,3-diaminonaphthalene at aluminum/hydrochloric acid interface: Experimental and theoretical study

The inhibitive effect of 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (2,3-DAN) for corrosion of aluminum in 1 M HCl was investigated using hydrogen evolution technique at 30 and 40°C. Quantum chemical calculation results showed that 2,3-DAN molecule possessed planar structure with a number of active centers, which aided the adsorption process. The Mulliken charge density, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) were found mainly focused around nitrogen atoms and the cyclic of the benzene as well. The presence of 2,3-DAN molecules in the corrosive medium (1 M HCl solution) inhibits the corrosion process of aluminum and as the concentration of 2,3-DAN increases the inhibition efficiency also increases but decreases with rise in temperature. The corrosion inhibition of 2,3-DAN was discussed in terms of blocking of the Al surface by adsorption of the molecules of the inhibitor at the active centers. It was found that the adsorption of 2,3-DAN onto the Al surface followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and 2,3-DAN adsorbed on Al surface probably by physisorption. The proposed physisorption mechanism was supported by the calculated values of E_a, Q_ads, and G _ads.