CARICA PAPAYA SEED-EXTRACT AS ORGANIC INHIBITOR ON THE CORROSION OF ALUMINIUM AND MILD STEEL IN A SULPHURIC ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Mild steel and aluminum are commonly used metals domestically and industrially given their desirable mechanical properties and low cost. However, their applications make them susceptible to the effects of corrosion leading to high maintenance cost and safety issues. The inhibition performance of Carica papaya seed extract (CPSE) as an organic inhibitor was investigated by evaluating the corrosion behavior of mild steel and aluminum in 0.2 M H₂SO₄ solution in varying concentrations of the inhibitor. Weight loss method was employed in evaluating the efficiency of the inhibitor. The results showed that CPSE is a good corrosion inhibitor for mild steel and aluminum in H₂SO_4..The corrosion rate was observed to decrease with an increase in concentration of the inhibitors. The result from the experiment showed that the Inhibitor performed better in the inhibition of mild steel, yielding an inhibition efficiency of 84.26% relative to that of aluminum, 71.89%. The result also demonstrated that showed CPSE can be used as a corrosion preventer as this will curtail the use of inorganic inhibitors that are harmful and toxic to the environment. Carica papaya seed extract was economically good as paw paw is readily available in this part of the world and its extract is cheap to produce.