A Review on Graphene Quantum Dots for Electrochemical Detection of Emerging Pollutants.

Graphene quantum dots which are known as zero-dimensional materials are gaining increasing attention from researchers all over the world. This is predicated upon their relatively unique chemiluminescent, fluorescent, electrochemiluminescent, and electronic properties. The precise mechanism of electrochemiluminescence continues to be a subject of debate in the research world, and this is important in identifying synthetic pathways for graphene quantum dots. Heavy metals and other emerging pollutants are global health and environmental concerns. Several studies have reported the sensitivity and limit of detection of graphene quantum dots up to the nano-, pico-, and femto- levels when used as sensors. This review seeks to bridge information gaps on the reported electrochemiluminescence chemosensors for emerging pollutants using graphene quantum dots under the sub-headings, synthesis, characterization, electrochemiluminescence chemosensor detection, and comparison with other detection methods.

Synthesis, Theoretical Calculation, and Biological Studies of Mono- and Diphenyltin(IV) Complexes of N-Methyl-N-hydroxyethyldithiocarbamate.

In this study, chlorophenyltin(IV) [(C6H5)(Cl)Sn(L)2] and diphenyltin(IV) [(C6H5)2Sn(L)2] of N-methyl-N-hydroxyethyldithiocarbamate were prepared and characterized using various spectroscopic methods (FTIR, 1H, 13C, and 119Sn NMR) and elemental analysis. The FTIR and NMR spectral data, used to establish the structure of the compounds, showed the formation of the complexes via coordination to the two sulfur atoms from the dithiocarbamate ligand and the respective phenyltin(IV) derivatives. This coordination mode was further explored by DFT calculations, which showed that the bonding around the Sn center in [(C6H5)2Sn(L)2] was more asymmetric compared to the bonding around [(C6H5)(Cl)Sn(L)2]. However, the Sn-S bonds in [(C6H5)(Cl)Sn(L)2] were found to be more covalent than those in [(C6H5)2Sn(L)2]. Furthermore, the charge density of the frontier orbitals showed that the Sn atom in the complexes is relatively electrophilic and the Sn atom in [(C6H5)2Sn(L)2] has a lower atomic dipole moment than that of [(C6H5)(Cl)Sn(L)2]. The cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory study revealed that [(C6H5)2Sn(L)2], with the higher number of phenyl substituents, has a higher potency than [(C6H5)(Cl)Sn(L)2]. The bio-efficacy study of these complexes as cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory agents showed that the complexes possessed moderate to high activity in comparison to the camptothecin and diclofenac in each case. Nevertheless, the diphenyltin(IV) derivative [(C6H5)2Sn(L)2] was found to possess a better activity than its counterpart due to the number of phenyl rings attached to the Sn center.

Molecular modelling of compounds used for corrosion inhibition studies: a review.

Molecular modelling of organic compounds using computational software has emerged as a powerful approach for theoretical determination of the corrosion inhibition potential of organic compounds. Some of the common techniques involved in the theoretical studies of corrosion inhibition potential and mechanisms include density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, and artificial neural network (ANN) and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling. Using computational modelling, the chemical reactivity and corrosion inhibition activities of organic compounds can be explained. The modelling can be regarded as a time-saving and eco-friendly approach for screening organic compounds for corrosion inhibition potential before their wet laboratory synthesis would be carried out. Another advantage of computational modelling is that molecular sites responsible for interactions with metallic surfaces (active sites or adsorption sites) and the orientation of organic compounds can be easily predicted. Using different theoretical descriptors/parameters, the inhibition effectiveness and nature of the metal-inhibitor interactions can also be predicted. The present review article is a collection of major advancements in the field of computational modelling for the design and testing of the corrosion inhibition effectiveness of organic corrosion inhibitors.

Adsorption and Corrosion Inhibition Studies of Some Selected Dyes as Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel in Acidic Medium: Gravimetric, Electrochemical, Quantum Chemical Studies and Synergistic Effect with Iodide Ions.

The corrosion inhibition properties of some organic dyes, namely Sunset Yellow (SS), Amaranth (AM), Allura Red (AR), Tartrazine (TZ) and Fast Green (FG), for mild steel corrosion in 0.5 M HCl solution, were investigated using gravimetric, potentiodynamic polarization techniques and quantum chemical calculations. The results showed that the studied dyes are good corrosion inhibitors with enhanced inhibition efficiencies. The inhibition efficiency of all the studied dyes increases with increase in concentration, and decreases with increase in temperature. The results showed that the inhibition efficiency of the dyes increases in the presence of KI due to synergistic interactions of the dye molecules with iodide (I(-)) ions. Potentiodynamic polarization results revealed that the studied dyes are mixed-type inhibitors both in the absence and presence of KI. The adsorption of the studied dyes on mild steel surface, with and without KI, obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and involves physical adsorption mechanism. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that the most likely sites in the dye molecules for interactions with mild steel are the S, O, and N heteroatoms.

Some Phthalocyanine and Naphthalocyanine Derivatives as Corrosion Inhibitors for Aluminium in Acidic Medium: Experimental, Quantum Chemical Calculations, QSAR Studies and Synergistic Effect of Iodide Ions.

The effects of seven macrocyclic compounds comprising four phthalocyanines (Pcs) namely 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxy-29H,31H-phthalocyanine (Pc1), 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)-29H,31H-phthalocyanine (Pc2), 2,9,16,23-tetra-tert-butyl-29H,31H-phthalocyanine (Pc3) and 29H,31H-phthalocyanine (Pc4), and three naphthalocyanines namely 5,9,14,18,23,27,32,36-octabutoxy-2,3-naphthalocyanine (nPc1), 2,11,20,29-tetra-tert-butyl-2,3-naphthalocyanine (nPc2) and 2,3-naphthalocyanine (nP3) were investigated on the corrosion of aluminium (Al) in 1 M HCl using a gravimetric method, potentiodynamic polarization technique, quantum chemical calculations and quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR). Synergistic effects of KI on the corrosion inhibition properties of the compounds were also investigated. All the studied compounds showed appreciable inhibition efficiencies, which decrease with increasing temperature from 30 °C to 70 °C. At each concentration of the inhibitor, addition of 0.1% KI increased the inhibition efficiency compared to the absence of KI indicating the occurrence of synergistic interactions between the studied molecules and I(-) ions. From the potentiodynamic polarization studies, the studied Pcs and nPcs are mixed type corrosion inhibitors both without and with addition of KI. The adsorption of the studied molecules on Al surface obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, while the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters revealed that the adsorption of the studied compounds on Al surface is spontaneous and involves competitive physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms. The experimental results revealed the aggregated interactions between the inhibitor molecules and the results further indicated that the peripheral groups on the compounds affect these interactions. The calculated quantum chemical parameters and the QSAR results revealed the possibility of strong interactions between the studied inhibitors and metal surface. QSAR analysis on the quantum chemical parameters obtained with B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) method show that a combination of two quantum chemical parameters to form a composite index provides the best correlation with the experimental data.

Porphyrins as Corrosion Inhibitors for N80 Steel in 3.5% NaCl Solution: Electrochemical, Quantum Chemical, QSAR and Monte Carlo Simulations Studies.

The inhibition of the corrosion of N80 steel in 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution saturated with CO2 by four porphyrins, namely 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-21H,23H-porphyrin (HPTB), 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl)-21H,23H-porphyrin (T4PP), 4,4',4″,4‴-(porphyrin-5,10,15,20-tetrayl)tetrakis(benzoic acid) (THP) and 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphyrin (TPP) was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization, scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The results showed that the inhibition efficiency, η% increases with increasing concentration of the inhibitors. The EIS results revealed that the N80 steel surface with adsorbed porphyrins exhibited non-ideal capacitive behaviour with reduced charge transfer activity. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements indicated that the studied porphyrins acted as mixed type inhibitors. The SECM results confirmed the adsorption of the porphyrins on N80 steel thereby forming a relatively insulated surface. The SEM also confirmed the formation of protective films of the porphyrins on N80 steel surface thereby protecting the surface from direct acid attack. Quantum chemical calculations, quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) were also carried out on the studied porphyrins and the results showed that the corrosion inhibition performances of the porphyrins could be related to their EHOMO, ELUMO, ω, and µ values. Monte Carlo simulation studies showed that THP has the highest adsorption energy, while T4PP has the least adsorption energy in agreement with the values of σ from quantum chemical calculations.

Formamidine-Based Thiuram Disulfides as Efficient Inhibitors of Acid Corrosion of Mild Steel: Electrochemical, Surface, and Density Functional Theory/Monte Carlo Simulation Studies.

Electrochemical, surface, and density functional theory (DFT)/Monte Carlo (MC) simulation studies were used in investigating the characteristics of N,N'-(disulfanne-1,2-dicarbonothioyl)bis(N,N'-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)formimidamide) (DS1), N,N'-(disulfanne-1,2-dicarbonothioyl)bis(N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)formimidamide) (DS2), N,N'-(disulfanne-1,2-dicarbonothioyl)bis(N,N'-dimesitylformimidamide) (DS3), and N,N'-(disulfanne-1,2-dicarbonothioyl)bis(N,N'-bis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)formimidamide) (DS4) as inhibitors of acid corrosion of mild steel. The inhibitors were found to effectively reduce the rates of steel dissolution at the anode as well as cathodic hydrogen evolution. The order of inhibition efficiencies of studied compounds is DS1 (PDP/LPR/EIS: 98.60/97.98/96.94%) > DS2 (PDP/LPR/EIS: 98.36/96.86/96.90%) > DS3 (PDP/LPR/EIS: 94.66/87.44/94.30%) > DS4 (PDP/LPR/EIS: 83.57/77.02/75.17%) at 1.00 mM, and the overall efficiencies appeared to depend on the molecular and electronic structures of the compounds. The compounds offered high resistance to charge transfer across the electrode/electrolyte system by forming adsorbed film whose resistance increased with an increase in concentration. Findings suggested that the adsorption process involved combined chemisorption and physisorption. DFT calculations and MC simulations provided theoretical justifications for the experimental results.

Predicting protection capacities of pyrimidine-based corrosion inhibitors for mild steel/HCl interface using linear and nonlinear QSPR models.

Pyrimidine compounds have proven to be effective and efficient additives capable of protecting mild steel in acidic media. This class of organic compounds often functions as adsorption-type inhibitors of corrosion by forming a protective layer on the metallic substrate. The present study reports a computational study of forty pyrimidine compounds that have been investigated as sustainable inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in molar HCl solution. Quantitative structure property relationship was conducted using linear (multiple linear regression) and nonlinear (artificial neural network) models. Standardization method was employed in variable selection yielding five top chemical descriptors utilized for model development along with the inhibitor concentration. Multiple linear regression model yielded a fair predictive model. Artificial neural network model developed using k-fold cross-validation method provided a comprehensive insight into the corrosion protection mechanism of studied pyrimidine-based corrosion inhibitors. Using a multilayer perceptron with Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, the study obtained the optimal model having a MSE of 8.479, RMSE of 2.912, MAD of 1.791, and MAPE of 2.648. The optimal neural network model was further utilized to forecast the protection capacities of nine non-synthesized pyrimidine derivatives. The predicted inhibition efficiencies ranged from 89 to 98%, revealing the significance of the considered chemical descriptors, the predictive capacity of the developed model, and the potency of the theoretical inhibitors.

Synthesis, computational and biological studies of alkyltin(IV) N-methyl-N-hydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate complexes.

Methyltin(IV) of butyltin(IV)-N-hydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate complexes, represented as [(CH3)2Sn(L(OH))2] and [(C4H9)2Sn(L(OH))2] respectively were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic techniques (1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR) and elemental analysis. Both infrared and NMR data showed that, the complexes were formed via two sulphur atoms of the dithiocarbamate group. This mode of coordination was further supported by the DFT calculation, which suggested the formation of a distorted octahedral geometry around the tin atom. The complexes were screened for their antioxidant, cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory properties. Four different assays including DPPH, nitric oxide, reducing power and hydrogen peroxides were used for the antioxidant studies, while an in vitro anti-inflammatory study was done using albumin denaturation assay. The complexes showed good antioxidant activity, especially in the DPPH assay. Butyltin(IV)-N-hydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate showed better cytotoxicity activity compared to methyltin(IV)-N-hydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate in the selected cell lines, which included KMST-6, Caco-2 and A549 cell lines. The anti-inflammatory activities revealed that the two complexes have useful activities better than diclofenac used as control drug.

Chromeno-carbonitriles as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic solution: electrochemical, surface and computational studies.

Three novel N-hydrospiro-chromeno-carbonitriles namely, 2-amino-7,7-dimethyl-1',3',5-trioxo-1',3',5,6,7,8-hexahydrospiro[chromene-4,2'-indene]-3-carbonitrile (INH-1), 3-amino-7,7-dimethyl-2',5-dioxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrospiro[chromene-4,3'-indoline]-2-carbonitrile (INH-2) and 3'-amino-7',7'-dimethyl-2,5'-dioxo-5',6',7',8'-tetrahydro-2H-spiro[acenaphthylene-1,4'-chromene]-2'-carbonitrile (INH-3) were synthesized using the principles of green chemistry and applied as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic medium using computational simulations and experimental methods. Experimental and computational studies revealed that inhibition effectiveness of the INHs followed the sequence: INH-3 (95.32%) > INH-2 (93.02%) > INH-1 (89.16%). The investigated compounds exhibit mixed-type corrosion inhibition characteristics by blocking the active sites on the surface of mild steel. EIS study revealed that the INHs behave as interface-type corrosion inhibitors. EDX analyses supported the adsorption mechanism of corrosion inhibition. A DFT study carried out for gaseous and aqueous forms of inhibitor molecules indicated that interactions of INHs with the mild steel surface involve charge transfer phenomenon or donor-acceptor interactions. A Monte Carlo (MC) simulation study revealed that only a fractional segment of the molecule lies parallel to the steel surface, since the INH molecules are not completely planar. The results of computational studies and experimental analyses were in good agreement.

Experimental and computational studies onpropanone derivatives of quinoxalin-6-yl-4,5-dihydropyrazole as inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in hydrochloric acid.

Two quinoxaline-based propanones, 1-[3-(3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(quinoxalin-6-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl]propan-1-one (Mt-3-PQPP) and 1-(3-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(quinoxalin-6-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propan-1-one (Cl-4-PQPP) were tested as inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl using both experimental and computational approaches. Both compounds were found to retard corrosion rate of mild steel in the studied medium. Mt-3-PQPP and Cl-4-PQPP exhibited mixed-type inhibitive action, reducing the rate of anodic and cathodic corrosion reactions, as suggested by Tafel polarization measurements. Adsorbed molecules of Mt-3-PQPP and Cl-4-PQPP formed pseudo-capacitive film on mild steel surface in 1 M HCl as proposed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Adsorption surface coverage data were fitted into the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the evaluated thermodynamic parameters suggested chemisorption for Mt-3-PQPP and competitive physisorption and chemisorption for Cl-4-PQPP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses further revealed that adsorbed film of the inhibitor molecules protected the steel from direct exposure to acidic ions. Quantum chemical calculations suggested that higher corrosion inhibition efficiency of Mt-3-PQPP compared to Cl-4-PQPP molecule is due to the higher electron donating tendency of the former. Mt-3-PQPP molecule also showed higher protonation tendency in the acid than Cl-4-PQPP and its protonated form showed better corrosion inhibition potentials than that of Cl-4-PQPP. Monte Carlo simulation of the adsorption of Mt-3-PQPP and Cl-4-PQPP molecules on Fe(1 1 0) surface also confirmed higher adsorption energy for the former.

Synthesis and structures of divalent Co, Ni, Zn and Cd complexes of mixed dichalcogen and dipnictogen ligands with corrosion inhibition properties: experimental and computational studies.

The structural and corrosion inhibition properties of four different transition-metal complexes of heteroleptic S-donor atom dithiophosphonate and N-donor atom phenanthroline ligands are reported. Full structural characterization of the Co, Ni, Zn and Cd complexes was achieved with the aid of single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Structural elucidation revealed the formation of a 4-coordinate Zn(ii) complex, and 6-coordinate Ni(ii) and Cd(ii), as well as a novel dithiophosphonato Co(ii) complex. The ability of the complexes with this ligand type to act as inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solution is reported for the first time. Corrosion inhibition potentials of the complexes were assessed using potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and density functional theory (DFT). The open circuit potential (OCP) time profile showed the system achieved a steady-state potential before the first 600 s after submerging the working electrode in the corrosive medium. The studied metal complexes are good inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl and were found to retard the corrosion rate by forming an adsorbed pseudocapacitive film on the steel surface. The order of inhibition efficiencies was in the order Ni (94.14%) > Cd (92.28%) > Zn (91.14%) > Co (72.53%).

De novo design of thioredoxin reductase-targeted heterometallic titanocene-gold compounds of chlorambucil for mechanistic insights into renal cancer.

Here we report the design and synthesis of a chlorambucil-alkynyl (CHL-CCH) ligand, mononuclear gold(i) complex K[(CHL-CC)AuCl], 1, and heteronuclear complex (CHL-CC)Au(µ2-η2-CS3)Ti(η5-Cp)2, 2 for renal cancer. Complex 2 is significantly more cytotoxic than complex 1 and cisplatin against renal cancer cells with a high selectivity index value. The mechanism of action of these complexes against renal cancer cells was studied in detail by experimental and computational methods.

Experimental and theoretical investigations of cyclometalated ruthenium(ii) complex containing CCC-pincer and anti-inflammatory drugs as ligands: synthesis, characterization, inhibition of cyclooxygenase and in vitro cytotoxicity activities in various cancer cell lines.

The new cyclometalated ruthenium(ii) complex, [Ru(CCC-Nap)(Ibu)(PTA)] was designed and synthesized using ibuprofen (Ibu), 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) and CCC-pincer containing naproxen moiety (CCC-Nap) as ligands. The compounds were fully characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, multinuclear (1H, 13C, and 31P) NMR spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The cytotoxicity of the newly synthesized Ru(ii) complex was found to be low, and the complex was about twice as active as cisplatin with IC50 values in the range of 0.9-1.32 µM for both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition studies revealed that the Ru(ii) complex displayed strong interactions with COX-2, about 16 and 5 times more than free Ibu and CCC-Nap ligands, respectively. The Ru(ii) complex improved the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 10.7 fold compared to the control (H2O2 as a positive control) in MCF-7 cells. Quantum chemical calculations gave more insights into the geometry and electronic properties of the novel Ru(ii) complex, while molecular docking provided theoretical information on the interactions of Ru(ii) complex with human cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the results were compared with those of the interactions of the free ligands with COX-2.

Acridine-based thiosemicarbazones as novel inhibitors of mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl: synthesis, electrochemical, DFT and Monte Carlo simulation studies.

Electrochemical, surface morphology, density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulation methods were employed in investigating the effects of (2E,2'E)-2,2'-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-phenyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydroacridine-1,8(2H,5H,9H,10H)-diylidene)bis(N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide) (IAB-NP), (2E,2'E)-2,2'-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-phenyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydroacridine-1,8(2H,5H,9H,10H)-diylidene)bis(N-(2,4-difluorophenyl)hydrazinecarbothioamide)IAB-ND) and (2E,2'E)-2,2'-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-phenyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydroacridine-1,8(2H,5H,9H,10H)-diylidene)bis(N-(2-fluorophenyl) hydrazinecarbothioamide) (IAB-NF) on mild steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solution. From the studies, compounds IAB-NP, IAB-ND and IAB-NF inhibit mild steel corrosion in the acid and the protection efficiencies were found to increase with the increase in concentration of each compound. At the optimum inhibitor concentration of 1.5 × 10-4 M, the inhibition efficiencies (%) of the compounds are in the order IAB-NF (90.48) > IAB-ND (87.48) > IAB-NP (85.28). Potentiodynamic polarization measurements revealed that all the compounds acted as mixed-type corrosion inhibitors. Experimental data for the adsorption of the studied molecules on a mild steel surface in 1 M HCl fitted into the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the standard free energies of adsorption (ΔG o ads) suggested both physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms. Scanning electron microscopy analyses confirmed the formation of a protective film on the mild steel surface by the inhibitor molecules, resulting in protection of the metal from corrosive electrolyte ions. The experimental findings were corroborated by both theoretical density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulation studies.

Hydrogen Bonding Interactions of m-Chlorotoluene with 1-Alkanol Analyzed by Thermodynamic, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Density Functional Theory, and Natural Bond Orbital.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) has been employed to obtain information about the nature of interactions in the liquid solutions of pure solvents and their mixtures of m-chlorotoluene (MCT) with 1-alkanol systems at different mole fractions. Furthermore, densities (ρ) and speeds of sound (u) of binary mixtures of MCT with a set of five 1-alkanols, namely, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol, and 1-heptanol, were measured as a function of composition at 298.15 K. From the experimental quantities, the excess volumes (V E), isentropic compressibility (k s), and excess isentropic compressibility (k s E) were calculated for the binary mixtures over the entire composition range and under the atmospheric pressure. These excess properties (V E) and (k s E) were correlated with the Redlich-Kister polynomial equation. Additionally, theoretical density functional theory calculations and natural bond orbital analyses were carried out to further discern the nature and strength of interactions between MCT and 1-alkanols. Moreover, the recorded FT-IR spectra-derived excess properties and quantum chemically derived data revealed the presence of interactions between component molecules in binary liquid solutions.

Experimental, quantum chemical and molecular dynamic simulations studies on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel by some carbazole derivatives.

Five selected carbazole derivatives, namely carbazole, 3,6-dibromocarbazole, 2-hydroxycarbazole, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocarbazole and 9-(2-ethylhexyl)carbazole-3,6-dicarboxaldehyde were investigated for their inhibitive effects on Desulfovibrio vulgaris (D. vulgaris) induced corrosion of mild steel and in 1 M HCl medium using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The carbazole derivatives were found to be mixed type inhibitors with predominantly cathodic inhibitive effects for mild steel in 1 M HCl. Surface morphology results showed the compounds formed adsorbed film on mild steel surface in both aqueous acid and sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) media. Quantum chemical calculations were used to provide molecular based explanations for the inhibitive effects of the compounds. The interactions of the molecules with mild steel surface was simulated based on molecular dynamic simulations approach using Fe(110) crystal surface as representative metallic surface.

Biopolymer from Tragacanth Gum as a Green Corrosion Inhibitor for Carbon Steel in 1 M HCl Solution.

A biopolymer from tragacanth gum, arabinogalactan (AG), was investigated for its adsorption and corrosion inhibition traits for carbon steel corrosion in 1 M HCl. Gravimetric method, potentiodynamic polarization measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to judge the adsorptive nature of AG in the acid solution. The inhibition efficiency improved with an increase in AG concentration and temperature of the acid solution. Thermodynamic and activation parameters (ΔG ads, E a, ΔH, and ΔS) were also calculated and discussed. The adsorption of AG favored Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The results of corrosion tests confirmed that AG could serve as an efficient green corrosion inhibitor for the carbon steel in 1 M HCl, yielding high efficiency and a low risk of environmental pollution. Theoretical quantum chemical and Monte Carlo simulation studies corroborated the experimental results.

Phthalocyanine Doped Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Platform for the detection of Dopamine.

The electrocatalytic properties of metal oxides (MO = Fe3O4, ZnO) nanoparticles doped phthalocyanine (Pc) and functionalized MWCNTs, decorated on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was investigated. Successful synthesis of the metal oxide nanoparticles and the MO/Pc/MWCNT composite were confirmed using UV-Vis, EDX, XRD and TEM techniques. Successful modification of GCE with the MO and their composite was also confirmed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. GCE-MWCNT/ZnO/29H,31H-Pc was the best electrode towards DA detection with very low detection limit (0.75 µM) which compared favourably with literature, good sensitivity (1.45 µA/µM), resistance to electrode fouling, and excellent ability to detect DA without interference from AA signal. Electrocatalytic oxidation of DA on GCE-MWCNT/ZnO/29H,31H-Pc electrode was diffusion controlled but characterized with some adsorption of electro-oxidation reaction intermediates products. The fabricated sensors are easy to prepare, cost effective and can be applied for real sample analysis of dopamine in drug composition. The good electrocatalytic properties of 29H,31H-Pc and 2,3-Nc were related to their (quantum chemically derived) frontier molecular orbital energies and global electronegativities. The better performance of 29H,31H-Pc than 2,3-Nc in aiding electrochemical oxidation of DA might be due to its better electron accepting ability, which is inferred from its lower ELUMO and higher χ.

Zinc Oxide Nanocomposites of Selected Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization, and Corrosion Inhibition Studies on Mild Steel in HCl Solution.

Nanocomposites of ZnO and some selected polymers, namely, poly(ethylene glycol), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), and polyacrylonitrile, were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The FTIR and UV-vis spectra confirmed the successful formation of the polymer nanocomposites. TGA results revealed that the synthesized polymer nanocomposites are more thermally stable than the polymers alone. ZnO nanoparticles were about 50-75 nm in size, assumed a rodlike shape, and got embedded in the polymer matrices, as revealed by TEM images. Corrosion inhibition potentials of the synthesized ZnO/polymer nanocomposites were investigated for mild steel in 5% HCl solution using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), linear polarization resistance, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results showed that each ZnO/polymer nanocomposite inhibits mild steel corrosion in 5% HCl solution better than the respective polymer alone. The nanocomposites, according to PDP studies, behaved as a mixed-type inhibitor. The predominant mode of adsorption of the nanocomposites to a mild steel surface was found to be mixed type, and the adsorption process obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Scanning electron microscopy images also revealed the protective attributes of the ZnO/polymer nanocomposites for mild steel in 5% HCl solution.