Green approach towards corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in produced oilfield water using lemongrass extract

Abstract

The anti-corrosion action of lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus) extract (LGE) was evaluated for carbon steel in produced oilfield water using weight loss method and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results revealed that LGE serves as an effective corrosion inhibitor for C-steel via adsorption of its active constituents on the steel surface. The effect of time was studied by weight loss to assess the durability of the adsorbed film in protecting C-steel surface over a period of 28 days. The obtained results were further supported by surface examination of steel samples using FE-SEM, EDX and FTIR analyses. Theoretical study involved quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics simulation is also performed for the two most abundant components in lemongrass extract (neral and geranial).