Humic Acid from Livestock Dung: Ecofriendly Corrosion Inhibitor for 3SR Aluminum Alloy in Alkaline Medium

Abstract

Humic acids (HAs) extracted from cow, goat, and poultry dung were studied. Extraction was performed by treating the source materials with acid hydrolysis using hydrochloric acid (HCl) before alkaline extraction with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Yields of 3.33, 2.67, and 1.28% dry weight were obtained from cow, goat, and poultry dung respectively. The extracted humic acids were characterized using Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy techniques. The results obtained were in good agreement with commercial HA (Sigma-Aldrich). The humic acid extracted from cow dung was used to evaluate its corrosion inhibition potential for alkaline-induced corrosion of 3SR aluminum alloy using weight loss and electrochemical (potentiodynamic polarization) techniques at 30 degrees-60 degrees C. Results obtained show that the humic acid functions as an excellent corrosion inhibitor for aluminum alloy in 0.1 M NaOH solution. Corrosion inhibition efficiency increased with increase in humic acid concentration but decreased with rise in temperature. Results from potentiodynamic polarization measurements show that the HA behaved mostly as a mixed-type inhibitor. Adsorption of the humic acid was found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm at all concentrations and temperatures studied. The mechanism of physical adsorption has been proposed based on the trend of inhibition efficiency with temperature. The proposed mechanism was also corroborated by kinetic and thermodynamic parameters obtained.