Mrityunjay Shukla and Shailendra Yadav
Abstract
The present study investigates the corrosion inhibition efficiency of the Lamivudine drug, an environmentally benign compound, for mild steel in 1 N HCl medium. Corrosion inhibition performance was evaluated using weight loss measurements, potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and surface morphology analysis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the inhibition efficiency of Lamivudine increases with inhibitor concentration and decreases with temperature. Polarization studies reveal that Lamivudine acts as a mixed-type inhibitor, primarily controlling both anodic and cathodic reactions. The maximum inhibition efficiency of 93% was achieved at 300 mg l-¹ concentration. SEM micrographs further confirm the formation of a smooth and protective film on the mild steel surface in the presence of the inhibitor, indicating adsorption of the drug molecules on the metal surface. The study highlights the potential of repurposing Lamivudine, a nontoxic pharmaceutical compound, as a green corrosion inhibitor for industrial acid cleaning and pickling processes.