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New Ruthenium(II)-arene complexes appended curcumin based hydrazones: synthesis, spectral characterization, anti-oxidant and anticancer studies
Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-023-03043-4
ORIGINAL PAPER
Study the corrosion issues on galvanized steel induced in water tanks
Ghalia A. Gaber1 · Lamiaa Z. Mohamed2
· Aliaa Abdelfatah2
Received: 2 July 2023 / Accepted: 17 August 2023 / Published online: 1 September 2023
© The Author(s) 2023
Abstract
Weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and cyclic voltammetry tests were employed to assess the effects of sodium
hypochlorite concentration and pH on the corrosion characteristics of galvanized steel in water tanks. Pitting corrosion
appeared on the galvanized steel concurrently in neutral drinkable water. Passivation developed after exposure to 70 mg/L
sodium hypochlorite solutions. The results demonstrated that adding NaClO to wastewater solutions reduced the corrosion
rate. The corrosion rate of wastewater is 568.7 m/y, which can be reduced by adding NaClO to a lower value of 22.94 m/y at
70 mg/L. NaClO has the maximum efficiency at 70 mg/L, with a value of 95.96%. It was discovered that the galvanized steel
in potable water was sensitive to passivation dissolution when hypochlorite solutions with concentrations ranging from 30
to 70 mg/L were added. However, hypochlorite solutions with concentrations greater than 150 mg/L cause significant corrosion on galvanized steel. The PDP and cyclic voltammetry findings revealed that the galvanized steel had good passivation
properties under high 70 mg/L sodium hypochlorite concentrations. Only the sodium hypochlorite decreased the amounts
of all sessile microorganism families. The scanning electron microscope was employed to check the corroded samples' morphology. Pitting corrosion was discovered alongside galvanic corrosion and uniform corrosion.
Keywords Corrosion · Corrosion measurements · Galvanized steel · Environmental impact · Biocide hypochlorite
Introduction
Buildings, auto body components, and systems for distributing water all require galvanized steel (GS). The Zn coating
protects its barrier and galvanic double-protecting activity
(Liu et al. 2012). In a humid and wet environment, Zn is
anodic to Fe and acts as a sacrificial element (Kartsonakis
et al. 2012). However, multiple cases of severe galvanized
pipe and tank damage have been related to corrosion methods used in water-hanging networks, as indicated by the
formation of rust layers in those structures after an unusually short lifespan (Yadav et al. 2007). Corrosion product
accumulation would influence processes involved in corrosion, like oxygen-dissolved, mass transfer, dissolved metal
* Lamiaa Z. Mohamed
lamiaa.zaky@cu.edu.eg
1
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Girls),
Al-Azhar University, Yousef Abbas Str., P.O. Box: 11754,
Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
2
Mining, Petroleum, and Metallurgical Engineering
Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University,
Giza 12613, Egypt
ion hydration, and Zn coating passivation properties. Corrosion products have a considerable impact on metal corrosion
resistance.
Fe-tank corrosion in a distribution structure can result in
soluble Fe components or Fe-bearing scale loss. The corrosion products can form enormous tubercles, which raise
head loss and reduce water capacity. Water's soluble or particulate Fe corrosion byproducts reduce its visual quality
and frequently result in customer complaints of “red water”
at the tap (Azmat et al. 2011).
Each physical, chemical, and biological factor affecting
water distribution systems impacts Fe water tank corrosion, a
complex process. Previous research on Fe pipe corrosion has
concentrated on several elements of Fe corrosion, including pipe deterioration as assessed by weight loss (WL) or
electrochemical, scale development, and byproduct removal
as determined by the Fe concentration, color, turbidity, or
complaints of the number of customers. For example, one
study discovered that head loss increased when pH increased
(McNeill and Edwards 2001). However, another study found
that increased pH inhibited the release of Fe byproducts.
Higher pH may account for more integration of corrosion
byproducts within the scale. Still, from the effectiveness
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standpoint, the first consequence is negative, while the second is excellent (Wojtkowska et al. 2022).
Microbes exist in numerous distribution systems and can
affect Fe corrosion in a variety of manners (Tong et al. 2019;
Le Chevallier et al. 1993). Bacteria were discovered in Fe
tubercles. Although bacterial biofilm development on the
pipe edge might be a corrosion barrier, biofilms can also
generate an altered aeration cell, indicating localized variations in oxygen content and electrical potential. Soluble
metals might be taken up through the biopolymers in the
biofilm. Numerous bacteria can affect Fe species by reducing
Fe+3 or oxidizing F
e+2. Bacteria can absorb oxygen, produce
corrosive metabolites like H2S and Fe phosphide, and induce
localized pH gradients. Therefore, the function of biological
activity in a water line is ambiguous, although it is widely
thought to be deleterious to Fe corrosion. In circumstances
when activity is prominently led to contain biocides like
chlorine, despite their oxidative qualities, efficiently minimize overall corrosion concerns (Minno et al. 2013; De
Araujo-Jorge et al. 1992).
Biofilms may have the opposite influence on metal marine
corrosion, accelerating or inhibiting degradation (Oliveira
et al. 2016). The action of the barrier of biofilm layers that
covers the surface of metal uniformly is usually responsible
for the reduced corrosion rate (CR). However, biofilms do
not cover the metal surface equally, leading to faster corrosion. The anodic and cathodic zones permanent separation,
the deterioration products' protective layers collapse, and
the anodic or/and cathodic processes stimulation all contribute to this acceleration. Surface colonization and biofilm
growth begin when a metallic surface is immersed in water
(Telegdi et al. 2020). Biofouling is the unwanted occurrence
of adhesion and layers of biofilm built up on an immersed
or in link with seawater surface. Several techniques have
been employed to reduce the biofouling built up on surfaces,
including chemical treatments, such as the biocides in fluids addition for eliminating organisms that gain entry into
the system or reducing the growth rate of microorganisms
inside the layers, and mechanical methods, like the usage
of pigs for eliminating biofilms from systems (Khan et al.
2022). Accessibility, microorganism type, procedure thermal–hydraulic circumstances, treatment costs, safety standards, and environmental concerns influence the method used
(Murthy 2004). The main antifouling chemical techniques
are the following: chlorination, ozonization, bromochlorination, hydrogen peroxide furthermore, non-oxidizing biocides, synergetic chemical compounds, antifouling coatings,
and non-toxic films (Videla and Herrera 2005; Eguia et al.
2008).
Many governmental facilities, such as pools and watertreatment plants, necessitate periodic repair due to chlorineinduced corrosion of their metal components, resulting in
high costs and a potential threat to the population's safety
13
Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
(Costa et al. 2023). Although chlorine and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) appear identical in that both are employed to
disinfect water, there are considerable variances, particularly
in the amounts utilized in the industry (Ko et al. 2022). Consequently, chlorine is used as a water treatment solution for
neither utilization by individuals nor swimming pools (Zhao
et al. 2022). It additionally serves as a raw ingredient in the
manufacture of sodium hypochlorite (Kamel et al. 2022).
Sodium hypochlorite is used in disinfectant manufacturing,
and it is available in liquid form, with a 10% to 15% Cl
(Grunert et al. 2018).
Chlorination is an established way of preventing biofilm
growth in utilities and the manufacturing industry (Telegdi
et al. 2020). Since chlorine is transported through the biofilm
via managed diffusion, the procedure rate is determined by
the chlorine content in the fluid and the system turbulence as
a whole (Khan et al. 2022). The chlorine present in the environment has the potential to inactivate microbial cells and
oxidize nutrients. Chlorine combines organic and inorganic
biofilm components, restricting cell material and inactivating cells. Chlorine may additionally act with the exopolysaccharides (EPSs) that are the main task for the biofilm's integrity in an established biofilm (Khan et al. 2022). Because of
the difficulties of biocide absorption into biofilms, eliminating sessile bacteria using biocides is more challenging
than killing these germs in circulation (Zuo 2007). Biofilms
developed by EPS-rich bacteria require a greater chlorine
content than biofilms created by cells that have reduced EPS
concentrations (Khan et al. 2022). The hypochlorite deteriorates the EPSs inside the biofilm, causing depolymerization,
collapse, and separation of the EPSs (Khan et al. 2022). A
sodium hypochlorite solution was employed in this study
to reduce the rust coating in the water tanks. Chemical and
electrochemical measurements, including WL, PDP, and
CV curves, were used to investigate the impacts of pH and
Cl− concentrations on the corrosion manners of GS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was hired to analyze the
surface morphologies of the degradation.
Experimental work
The chemical composition of GS utilized for this investigation was first determined using spectrometry. The main
constituents of GS are 0.0633% C, 0.0253% Si, 0.164%
Mn, and the balance is Fe % in wt%. The Zn covers the
outer layer. Studies were conducted in real-world tap water
sources. The water sample was collected from Al-Azhar
University's Faculty of Science (Girls) lab, which used it as a
corrosive environment for GS. The compositions of real tap
water were as follows: 65.7 mg/L NaHCO3, 5.75 mg/L KCl,
123.0 mg/L MgSO4·7H2O, and 294.0 mg/L CaCl2·2H2O,
pH 7.5, which adjusted by 1 M H
NO3 (65% concentration
Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
from Sigma Aldrich). Surface disinfection of water services, which include water wells, necessitates evaluation
to eliminate pathogens from the walls to maintain highquality drinking water; however, a lot of these procedures
may increase corrosion of the contact surfaces and have a
negative impact on the circumstances because of disinfectant-polluted waste sludge and wastewater (WW). Almost all
therapies nowadays depend on hypochlorite. Passivity inhibitors (passivates) were employed to prevent corrosion in the
infrastructure of water-treatment plants. Passivation is the
employment of chemicals to interact directly with the minerals in the water flowing into a treatment facility. Passivity
inhibitors, often known as disinfectants, included hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, and chlorine gas. The disinfectants utilized were sodium hypochlorite NaClO from Sigma-Aldrich,
and they possessed several different properties: The chlorine
level ranges from 4 to 6%, with a specific mass of 1.1 g/mL.
The corrosion studies were conducted in hypochlorite aqueous solutions, including 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 mg/L active
chlorine. A hypochlorite ion O
Cl− concentration describes
active chlorine or free chlorine (Romanovski et al. 2020).
The amount of corrosion during GS treatments at appropriate temperatures of sodium hypochlorite for drinking water
preparation was examined using WL, electrochemical, and
surface analytical methods.
Chlorine bleaching is used to sterilize the water. To
do this, the water company combines a dilute solution of
sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) with the water, ensuring
a continued disinfection impact up to the drinking water
delivery point. For compliance with domestic drinking water
laws, perfect dosing of the chlorine solution is critical.
The WL experiments were carried out in breakers containing WW solutions of varying pH and sodium hypochlorite NaClO (30–70 mg/L) concentrations at room temperature (RT). Before the tests were performed, the GS
specimens were examined. To estimate the WL, the samples
were separated from the test solutions after about 30 days of
immersion, and the layer of rust was removed with a surgical blade. The rust still on the specimens was removed by
covering them in NH4Cl solution (100 g/L) at 70 °C for
5 min, then washed, dried, and weighed to assess their WL.
To evaluate the repeatability of the findings, triplicate specimens were submerged in a glass beaker containing 25 mL
of sodium hypochlorite NaClO (30–70 mg/L)-free WW
solutions.
Electrochemical experiments were performed in a threeelectrode cell with a Pt counter-electrode (Hach Company
Radiometer Analytical M23Pt Metal Electrode platinum
wire sensor 0.05 mm), a saturated calomel electrode (SCE)
as the reference electrode (Glass Body Calomel Reference
Electrode 4 mm banana connector, HI1110B, HANNA
instruments made in Romania) and a working electrode with
surface area 2 cm2. The most potential in the present work is
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in SCE units with a cell capacity of 50 ml. The PDP curves
were obtained by automatically altering the electrode potential with a PGZ301 potentiostat at a scan rate of 0.5 mV/s
between − 1.5 and + 1.0 V. The operational electrode was
submerged in the experiment media for 30 min before the
corrosion experiment to produce a quasi-stationary assessment of the open circuit potential (OCP). All the investigations were carried out at RT. Equation 1 was used to compute the surface inclusion degrees (θ) in PDP data (Gaber
et al. 2020a; b).
𝜃 = 1 − Icorr ∕ I◦corr
(1)
where Icorr° and Icorr donate densities of corrosion current
without/with sodium hypochlorite NaClO, respectively.
The following equation was used to calculate the inhibitive efficiency (IE %) (Gaber et al. 2020a; b):
IE % = 𝜃 × 100
(2)
The cyclic voltammetry (CV) graphs were displayed by
beginning scanning electrode potential at 250 mV under
the OCP and progressing to 0 V. Potentials were scanned
back to the original potential when the electrode potential
approached the anodic potential of 0 V. The vertex current
density was set at 0.001 A/cm2. Electrochemical investigations were performed to assess and examine corrosion using
Voltalab 40 Potentiostat PGZ301 (Germany) and Volta Master 4 software.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (model JEOL,
model 6460) was employed to analyze the morphology of
the specimen surfaces due to corrosion. The coupons were
tested before and after the addition of sodium hypochlorite
NaClO.
Results and discussion
WL measurements
Effect of concentration of NaClO
The WL of GS in WW solution, after 30 days covering at
RT, were taken and illustrated in Fig. 1. Table 1 exhibits
the gravimetric corrosion of GS in WW, including several
concentrations of NaClO. The CR of GS decreased from
0.0727 to 0.0277 mm/y with the increase of concentration of
NaClO from 30 to 70 mg/L. The rising inhibition efficiency
implies that the GS surface covering improves by raising
NaClO content. Surface coverage θ and IE% increased as the
concentration of NaClO was raised, with IE% (64.07) taking
place at 70 mg/L of NaClO. Raising the concentration of
the tested material in the solution increased the purification
effectiveness.
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Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
0.014
0.35
Blank
30 ppm
40 ppm
50 ppm
60 ppm
70 ppm
0.010
Blank
30 ppm
40 ppm
50 ppm
60 ppm
70 ppm
0.30
0.25
CR (mm/y)
Weight loss (g)
0.012
0.008
0.006
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.004
0.05
0.002
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0
Exposure time (Days)
5
10
15
20
25
Exposure time (Days)
30
Fig. 1 Variation in WL plots and CR over time for GS at 25 °C with/without various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite NaClO (30–
70 mg/L)
Table 1 Corrosion parameters of GS in WW solution with and without various concentrations of NaClO after immersion 30 days
WW
NaClO
Conc.
(mg/L)
CR
mm/y
θ
0.0
30
40
50
60
70
0.077
0.073
0.052
0.043
0.035
0.028
–
0.057
0.326
0.444
0.551
0.641
IE
(%)
–
5.71
32.55
44.35
55.12
64.07
Blank
30 ppm
40 ppm
50 ppm
60 ppm
70 ppm
1.0
Potential [ V] vs SCE
Solutions
1.5
0.5
0.0
-0.5
-1.0
-1.5
-2.0
Impact of the immersion period
Figure 1 illustrates the variation in WL and CR of GS
in WW solution over time with and without NaClO.
The graph shows that WL grew as immersion duration
increased, although it was smaller in the presence of the
examined solutions than in the presence of the WW solution. The amount of time the pipe has been exposed significantly impacts its corrosion. When a pipe is first in
contact with water, the Fe content and the CR grow with
time, but both eventually decrease as the scale forms. Nevertheless, the specific location of this crossover point varies widely based on the cleanliness of the water and other
circumstances (McNeill and Edwards 2001). It was also
observed that CR values decreased with an increase in
exposure time. Also, the CR of GS is observed to be high
with free available hypochlorite, as indicated in Fig. 1 and
Table 1. Biofilms may have the opposite impact on metal
seawater corrosion, accelerating or inhibiting corrosion.
13
-10
-8
-6
log i [ A/cm2]
-4
-2
Fig. 2 The PDP curves for GS in WW with different concentrations
of NaClO (30–70 mg/L) at 25 °C
The lowered CR is usually caused by a “barrier” of the
deposited biofilm, which covers the surface of metal
equally but is not used. It is commonly used for accelerated corrosion. Anodic and cathodic zones permanent
separation, the collapse of corrosion products' protective
layers, and the stimulation of anodic or cathodic processes,
or both, all contribute to this acceleration. The WL vs.
time gives a linear relation indicating no insoluble surface coating through corrosion. Furthermore, NaClO was
first absorbed into the GS surface and impeded corrosion
(Abbas et al. 2022). The findings showed an encouraging
increase in IE% when NaClO was applied.
Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
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Figure 2 studies PDP plots for the corroded GS in WW with
different concentrations of NaClO (30–70 mg/L) at 25 °C.
The values of corrosion potential Ecorr, Icorr, cathodic besides
anodic Tafel slope (βa and βc), CR, and IE% are recorded in
Table 2. Outcome results indicate that upon adding NaClO
to WW solutions, the Icorr and the CR were reduced. The
CR of WW is 568.7 µm/y and is reduced by adding NaClO,
attaining a lesser value of 22.94 µm/y at 70 mg/L. The
highest efficiency appears in NaClO at 70 mg/L, which values ~ 95.96%. These outcomes coincided well with the WL
assessment.
The existence of the oxidized Fe or other compounds
deposition onto a corrosion product, which acts like a massive store of corrosion byproducts, the CR of the GS has
no link to the quantity of Fe that inter the water. Fe scale is
often made up of various chemicals, making it exceedingly
uneven. This scale film may offer passivation by restricting
oxygen passage to the metal surface and reducing corrosion,
but the scale added Fe to the water. This contains soluble
scale-dissolving species like scale particles removed from
the surface. Predicting solubility is problematic since the
scales are frequently weakly crystallized and uneven; even
though solubility is understood, the water may be undersaturated due to kinetic or mass transfer constraints. The
typical household bleaching agent, liquid sodium hypochlorite (NaOCI), deteriorates inside the biofilm, leading to
EPS depolymerization, dissolution, and separation (Khan
et al. 2022). The corrosive impact of sodium hypochlorite
is caused by producing a high conductivity essential in the
electrochemical corrosion mechanism (Zhang et al. 2020).
The ability of water to dissolve oxygen constantly reduces as
the concentration of NaClO increases, which describes how
the CR drops in many circumstances at high concentrations
of NaClO (Su et al. 2014).
Romanovski et al. (2020) investigated hypochlorite treatment caused by the maximum Icorr at 150 mg/L active chlorine. Compared to simulated tap water containing 150 mg/L
active chlorine, the Icorr in calcium and sodium hypochlorite
solutions was 4.1 and 3.9 times greater, respectively. Instead,
250 mg/L active chlorine hypochlorite media gives lower
Table 2 Corrosion parameters
of the PDP curves for
GS in WW with different
concentrations of NaClO
(30–70 mg/L) at 25 °C
Icorr than 150 mg/L media, possibly due to a high passivation or pH value.
Cyclic voltammetry measurements
The CV measurements were performed to assess the corrosion resistance of GS in WW with various concentrations
of NaClO. The CV approach at a low scan rate was one of
the methods used to determine GS's vulnerability to passive stability. Susceptibility to corrosion might be accurately
anticipated from the anodic part (Gaber et al. 2020a, b).
Figure 3 demonstrates the CV measurements for GS in
WW with different concentrations of NaClO (30–70 mg/L)
at 25 °C. The CV plots extract the Ecorr, Epitt, Eprot, and CR
listed in Table 3. Overall, the area of the hysteresis loop
in CV plots directly relates to the degree of localized corrosion. A big hysteresis loop, for example, suggests that
the substance is more prone to corrosion. The area under
the loop, which represents the chance of pitting corrosion
(PC) occurring, is smaller in the 70 mg/L hypochlorite
than in free hypochlorite. The CV confirmed the previous
results obtained from WL and PDP examinations. Figure 4
0.4
Blank
30 ppm
40 ppm
50 ppm
60 ppm
70 ppm
0.2
Potential [ V] vs SCE
Potentiodynamic polarization estimations
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1.0
-1.2
-6
-5
-4
-3
log i [ A/cm2]
-2
Fig. 3 The CV plots for GS in WW with different concentrations of
NaClO at 25 °C
Conc.
(mg/L)
Ecorr
mV
Icorr
µA/cm2
βa
mV/dec
βc
mV/dec
CR
µm/y
θ
IE
%
WW
30
40
50
60
70
− 1039.0
− 1015.9
− 1013.8
− 501.9
− 545.5
− 493.9
48.63
42.26
40.69
2.92
2.38
1.96
132.9
170.0
169.1
153.9
180.4
165.4
− 187.0
− 168.1
− 178.4
− 190.7
− 133.4
− 149.8
568.7
494.2
475.8
34.1
27.8
22.9
–
0.13
0.16
0.94
0.95
0.96
–
13.10
16.34
94.01
95.12
95.96
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Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
Table 3 Characteristic
corrosion parameters from CV
for GS in WW with different
concentrations of NaClO
Conc.
(mg/L)
Ecorr
(V/SCE)
Epit
(V/SCE)
Eprot
(V/SCE)
CR
mm/y
θ
IE
%
WW
30
40
50
60
70
− 0.938
− 0.974
− 0.992
− 0.956
− 0.954
− 0.960
0.138
0.174
0.176
0.158
0.208
0.191
− 1.00
− 0.98
− 0.94
− 0.99
− 0.98
− 0.94
2.75
2.15
2.10
1.17
1.13
0.91
–
0.22
0.24
0.58
0.59
0.67
–
21.99
23.55
57.57
58.99
67.03
1.5
100
Wt Loss
PDP
Cyclic
pH 5
pH 7
pH 8
1.0
Potential [ V] vs SCE
IE %
80
60
40
0.5
0.0
-0.5
20
-1.0
30 ppm
40 ppm
50 ppm
60 ppm
70 ppm
Fig. 4 Comparison IE % with different concentrations of NaClO by
WL, PDP, and CV tests
-1.5
-7
-6
-5
-4
log i [ A/cm2]
-3
-2
-1
Fig. 5 The PDP curves of GS under different pH values in WW at
60 mg/L NaClO
establishes the IE % for GS in WW with different concentrations of NaClO.
Accordingly, the highest pitting resistance was obtained
from the 60–70 mg/L hypochlorite. Hypochlorite shields
the GS from pitting corrosion and keeps the layer passive
across a broad potential range. This established better performance where the hysteresis loop was noticed throughout the reverse anodic scan, which means that PC may
have diminished. Furthermore, the CR has been estimated
using the Tafel curve method. From Tafel analysis, GS in
free hypochlorite showed a high CR of 2.751 mm/y and
was found to be markedly lowered by about 0.907 mm/y
in 70 mg/L hypochlorite. The CR values for the GS were
high. The high levels of CR were produced by the process's high rate of fluid movement, which caused significant turbulence and corrosion. Biocides, when added to
industrial or laboratory environments, diminish or destroy
the presence of microbiota. However, they usually raise or
slightly lower the system's corrosion rate (Oliveira et al.
2016). Previous investigations using sodium hypochlorite
revealed that this biocide is as damaging to carbon steel
as hydrogen peroxide, another oxidizing biocide. When
contrasted with the control promotes, sodium hypochlorite
lowered both the number of sessile microorganisms and
the steel values for CR in these trials.
13
Effects of the pH on galvanized steel in WW
at 60 mg/L NaClO
The pH, free existing chlorine, and chloride ion concentration all have an impact on the corrosion response in
hypochlorite solution. Because the pH of these solutions
is neutral or slightly alkaline (7.5–9.0), hypochlorite ion
(OCI−) will be the dominant form of free-accessible chlorine (Gaur 1994). As a result, chloride and hypochlorite ions
will regulate corrosion. The PDP curves of GS vs. pH in
60 mg/L NaClO are shown in Fig. 5. The outcomes of this
figure showed that the CR steadily reduced as the pH value
increased from 5.0 to 8.0, which can be linked to the influence of corrosion products. The CR decreased from 54.36 to
20.39 mm/y as the pH increased from 5.0 to 8.0. Yeomans
(Yeomans 2004) observed the formation of a passive layer
on the Zn coating in a highly alkaline solution. As a result,
a stable passive layer may be created on GS and serve as a
corrosive environment protector (Permeh and Lau 2023).
Under high alkalinity, the GS exhibits excellent corrosion
resistance.
The CV plots for GS vs. pH in 60 mg/L NaClO are shown
in Fig. 6. The solid arrows beside the forward indicated
potential scan paths and reverse anodic branches. The GS
Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
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0.4
0.2
pH 5
pH 7
pH 8
Potential [ V] vs SCE
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.2
-0.4
-0.4
-0.6
-0.6
-0.8
-0.8
-1.0
Wt Loss
PDP
Cyclic
-1.2
-1.0
1.5
-1.2
-7
-6
-5
log i [ A/cm2]
-4
-3
60
PDP
Cyclic
50
1.6
40
30
1.7
1.8
1.9
Log C
-2
Fig. 6 The CV curves of GS under different pH values in WW at
60 mg/L NaClO
CR mm/Y
Freundlich adsorption isotherm
0.0
Fig. 8 Adsorption isotherm plots from different measurements for the
corroded GS with varying concentrations of NaClO at 25 °C
Table 4 Adsorption parameters on the corrosion of GS with different
concentrations of NaClO at 25 °C from different measurements
Technique
R2
Slope
Kads
∆Gads kJmol−1
WL
PDP
CV
0.83926
0.82227
0.85723
2.686363
2.785524
1.505969
0.7007
0.7013
0.4647
− 9.0713
− 9.0734
− 8.0553
20
10
0
pH 5
pH 7
pH 8
Fig. 7 Comparison effect of pH and CR of NaClO by PDP and CV
tests
did not exhibit a conventional passive zone when the pH
of the hypochlorite ion ( OCI−) was 7.0. When the pH of
hypochlorite ion ( OCI−) was 8.0, the reverse anodic graph
illustrated that the pitting potential was practically identical
to the OCP, demonstrating that the sample underwent a transition from un-passivated to passivated corrosion behavior.
At pH 5.0, Fig. 7 exhibited a characteristic passive area with
Icorr nearly independent of applied potential up to pitting
potential Epit equal to − 0.649 V vs. SCE. The Icorr then
climbed quickly until it reached a specific value, following which it grew very slightly with a rise in potential. The
reverse anodic graph moved to larger currents than the forward curve while the pH reached 8.0, suggesting that some
new corrosion products, maybe a passive layer, were produced on the electrode. At high alkalinity, the Zn5Cl2(OH)8
absorbed on the electrode was thermodynamically unstable
and prone to the formation of ZnO (Liu et al. 2012). Figure 7 depicts the comparing effect of pH, PDP, and CV. The
CR dropped from 8.003 to 1.362 mm/y as the pH increased
from 5.0 to 8.0, and GS demonstrated remarkable corrosion
resistance in the high alkaline hypochlorite ion (OCI−). The
findings were consistent with the PDP assessment.
Freundlich adsorption isotherm
Adsorption isotherms (AIs) have proved extremely useful
in studies involving environmental protection and adsorption strategies. Langmuir and Freundlich are well-known
two-parameter AIs. The Langmuir isotherm (LI) is used
for homogeneous monolayer adsorption, while the Freundlich isotherm suites are used for heterogeneous multilayer
adsorption. Equation 3 shows how, corresponding to the
Freundlich isotherm, θ is linked to the concentration C of
NaClO (Alahiane et al. 2020).
log 𝜃 = log Kads + n log C
(3)
where n denotes the empirical constant, the other constants
have a comparable indication. Figure 8 expressions straight
lines are due to log θ against log C with slope n and intercept
log Kads. The deduced adsorption parameters Kads, n, and
ΔG°ads are displayed in Table 4. It was found the correlation
factor values are far from unity. Freundlich isotherms were
used to investigate the adsorption process. The adsorption
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7546
investigations demonstrated unequivocally that the experimental data suited the Freundlich adsorption isotherms with
high linearity. The best-fit isotherm criteria depend on a
greater correlation coefficient, R2.
A perfect linear plot was produced with a regression constant R2 = 0.83926 and a slope of about 1.505969, nearly
equal for all techniques used. It is customary that the standard free energy (∆Gads ) evaluated by the subsequent Eq. 4
(Shahen et al. 2022):
( (
))
Kads = 1∕55.5 exp − ΔGads ∕RT
(4)
The value of ∆Gads is − 9.0713 kJ·mol−1, nearly equal for
the WL, PDP, and CV tests. This negative number indicates
that the adsorption activity is uncontrolled. Furthermore,
∆Gads values at or below – 20 kJ·mol−1 or less are consistent
with the electrostatic interaction of both charged metal and
molecules (physisorption) (Shahen et al. 2022). The calculated ∆Gads values are lower negative than – 20 kJ·mol−1
representing that physisorption is typical of the adsorption
development of the NaClO concentration.
Surface morphology
Morphology by SEM images was operated to examine
further the corrosion of GS in WW free with and without
60 mg/L NaClO and at different pH values. Figure 9 performs the SEM images of GS in WW free with and without 60 mg/L NaClO. The coatings with Zn were compact,
smooth, and coated on the Zn coating surface. The CR values obtained from WL readings are higher. This is to be
considered because CR is highest at the start and diminishes with time due to the creation of corrosion products
to achieve an equilibrium value. The concentration of free
Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
accessible chlorine appears to raise the CR value. The mechanism of corrosion reveals that the exchange Icorr for Fe/
Fe(OH)z and the current density limit for OCl−/Cl increase
with the concentration of free accessible chlorine. These
modifications boost the CR with free accessible chlorine.
The CR value decreases with 60 mg/L NaClO than blank
WW due to the covering of passive corrosion products that
cover the test sample than that on blank WW.
However, if the Zn is deposited excessively, increasing
surface roughness, the GS may bear from intergranular corrosion. The GS degradation is like conventional steels, but
GS exhibits a distinct type of corrosion known as “bimetallic corrosion” or “galvanic corrosion.” This sort of corrosion happens owing to a large potential difference between
materials, with Zn being a very anodic material that may
resist a noble material that is very cathodic. This process is
accelerated when the water has a high conductivity (Anaman et al. 2022).
Figure 10 depicts SEM images of the GS immersed in
60 mg/L NaClO at pH 5.0, 7.0, and 8.0. After 30 days in
the pH 7.0 solution, the rust layer was absorbed on the surface of the electrode, and PC was located on the electrode
interface in the 60 mg/L NaClO solution. The Zn coating
began deteriorating after eliminating the rust layer, and nonuniform corrosion developed on GS. Throughout the immersion time, however, a needle-like rust layer was adherent
and compactly absorbed on the electrode surface in the pH
8.0 solution, the color of the surface became murky grey,
and no pitting was seen on the Zn coating. According to
SEM micrographs, passivation happened on GS in a highly
alkaline atmosphere. These findings were consistent with
the WL experiments. Fe was detected in pH 5.0 and pH
7.0, showing that the Zn coating was harmed by Cl- erosion. Higher pH values increased the oxide content while
Fig. 9 The SEM images of WW for a blank in WW and b WW with 60 mg/L NaClO
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Chemical Papers (2023) 77:7539–7549
7547
Fig. 10 The SEM images of GS at different pH after 30 days of immersion in 60 mg/L NaClO at pH equal to a 5, b 7, and c 8
the chloride content declined, indicating that Zn oxide was
produced in the highly alkaline solution. By increasing the
pH of OCl−, corrosion of GS was prevented. The corrosion
product morphology after sodium hypochlorite treatments
differed slightly. There were needle-shaped, platelet-shaped,
and spherical particles identified, with no discernible difference in composition. The hypochlorite solutions appeared to
affect the size and nature of the corrosion deposit. The Na
was found in larger concentrations in the corrosion products of the NaClO-treated samples than in the other treated
samples. Chlorine was only found in samples previously
considered with hypochlorite solutions.
It should be noted that all concentrations have been processed in WW, which contains trace levels of Ca, Na, K,
and chlorides, among other things. All surface disinfectiontreated samples had cracks and local flaws. Increasing pH
values from 5.0 to 7.0 led to containing a protective layer,
as shown in Fig. 10. Furthermore, the rise of pH from 7.0
to 8.0 changed the morphology of the corrosion products,
and more passivation happened. That matches the CR values
from PDP and CV measurements as in Fig. 7.
Conclusion
The research investigations were carried out to examine corrosion difficulties on GS caused by hypochlorite ion concentration in water tanks. Chemical and electrochemical testing
were used to study the effect of pH levels and Cl− concentration on the corrosion characteristics of GS. The following
significant findings were reached:
• The CR value of free chlorine content is 568.7 m/y,
called blank WW.
• The GS rusted actively in WW, but the most severe cor-
rosion occurred in hypochlorite solutions with concentrations greater than 150 mg/L.
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• After surface disinfection with hypochlorite, hypochlo-
rite or chlorine with chemicals were trapped in corrosion
species, and cracks were demonstrated to alter the pH in
later WW exposure.
• The WL, PDP, and CV curves all indicated that the GS
had good passivation in the media tested. Furthermore,
the rust coating absorbed on the GS surface may prevent
future corrosion.
• The morphology of products due to corrosion by adding sodium hypochlorite addition varied slightly. There
were needle-shaped, platelet-shaped, and spherical particles identified, with no discernible difference in composition. There was observed pitting corrosion, galvanic
corrosion, and uniform corrosion.
Funding Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology &
Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB).
Declarations
Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of
interest.
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source,
provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes
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included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated
otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in
the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not
permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will
need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a
copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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