Evaluation of 2-(salicylideneimino) thiophenol and other Schiff bases as bronze corrosion inhibitors by electrochemical techniques and surface analysis

In this research, different Schiff bases were synthesized and tested as bronze corrosion inhibitors in concentrated synthetic acid rain at pH 3.3. Some of them showed good inhibiting effects, as detected by EIS and polarization curve recording. The most efficient inhibitor (2-(salicylideneimino) thiophenol, SITP) was also tested with addition of sodium dihydrogen phosphate (P). P improved the surface film resistance against breakdown phenomena. XPS and SEM investigations showed that SITP and SITP + P significantly hinder decuprification. Moreover, SITP forms a protective layer on bronze, composed of both Cu(I)-SITP complexes and adsorbed inhibitor molecules. Cu(II) phosphates were also detected with P addition.