Eco-Friendly Corrosion Inhibition of Mild Steel in Marine Environments Using Musanga cecropioides Leaf Extract: Gravimetric, Adsorption Isotherm, and RSM Optimization Studies
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Marine environments accelerate the corrosion of mild steel, posing significant operational challenges across global industries. This study investigates the corrosion inhibition potential of Musanga cecropioides leaf extract (MCLE) as a green, eco-friendly alternative to synthetic inhibitors. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, Seriods , and terpenoids, which facilitate corrosion protection by forming adherent protective films on steel surfaces. Gravimetric weight loss measurements conducted over a period of 85 hrs assessed the inhibitor’s performance across varying concentrations (0.2– 0.8 g/L) in seawater. Maximum inhibition efficiency of 95.1% was achieved at 0.8 g/L after 68 hours of immersion. Adsorption behavior followed the Langmuir isotherm model with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.99087, confirming monolayer adsorption and suggesting physisorption as the dominant mechanism (ΔG_ads = –13.8 kJ/mol). Optimization using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CCD) yielded a statistically robust quadratic model (R² = 0.8492, adjusted R² = 0.7953, Adeq Precision = 11.1362). Validation experiments confirmed model accuracy, showing a low uncertainty error of 1.66% between predicted and experimental inhibition efficiency. These findings demonstrate that Musanga cecropioides leaf extract offers a highly effective, sustainable, and economically viable solution for mitigating mild steel corrosion in marine environments.
Author: Silas. Okuma
Institution: Nigeria Maritime University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4413019731