Electrochemical and surface analysis of 2-phenylimidazole adsorbed on copper from chloride solution

Abstract

The electroanalytical and surface characterization of copper immersed in 3 wt.% NaCl solution containing 1 mM of 2-phenylimidazole (2PhI) is presented. It was proven that 2PhI can be employed as corrosion inhibitor for copper using various electrochemical analyses, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic curve measurements. The adsorption of 2PhI on copper was further analyzed by 3D-profilometry, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. This system was therefore comprehensively described by various analytical approaches.