A novel investigation of eco-friendly corrosion inhibition of mild steel in acidic medium using cyclohexane extract of Pelargonium Graveolens from Fes-Meknes, Morocco; electrochemical insights

Pelargonium Graveolens (rose geranium), is an aromatic and medicinal plant grown in Morocco, valued for its bioactive content. Most research has focused on its essential oil. This work takes a different approach; we investigated its Cyclohexane extract as a corrosion inhibitor in acidic media something not explored before. Our aim was to evaluate the inhibition efficiency η% of this extract against mild steel corrosion in 0.5M H2SO4. We prepared the extract through 48 hours by maceration of aerial parts of plant and analyzed its composition using FT-IR. The electrochemical tests PDP, EIS were then conducted to asses inhibition performance. The results shown that the inhibitor achieved 91% efficiency at the concentration of 200 ppm, operating through mixed type mechanism with predominance cathodic. Surface analysis by SEM-EDX confirmed the formation of a protective layer on the steel. These findings suggest that the cyclohexane extract of Pelargonium graveolens could serve as a viable green corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in acidic medium.