EVALUATION OF THE CORROSION INHIBITION PROPERTIES OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT FROM ACACIA NILOTICA POD ON MILD STEEL IN 0.1 M SULFURIC ACID: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY UTILIZING FTIR AND SEM TECHNIQUES

The ethanol extract of Acacia nilotica pod (ANP) was investigated for its corrosion inhibition potential on mild steel immersed in 0.1M H 2 SO 4 solutions containing ANP concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 g/L. The study employed weight loss measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the extract’s performance. Weight loss experiments demonstrated that the inhibition efficiency was influenced by both the concentration of ANP and the exposure duration of the mild steel in the acidic medium. The highest inhibition efficiency recorded was 87.57%. Surface morphology analysis using SEM revealed significant differences between the steel samples exposed to H 2 SO 4 with and without the extract, indicating the protective role of ANP. FTIR spectroscopy further confirmed the adsorption of the extract onto the mild steel surface, with functional groups such as C-O and N=O playing a critical role in the adsorption process. These findings highlight the potential of ANP as an effective corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in acidic environments.