Mechanical Engineering Department, Covenant University, Ota 112001, Nigeria; Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Okeniyi, J.O., Mechanical Engineering Department, Covenant University, Ota 112001, Nigeria; Loto, C.A., Mechanical Engineering Department, Covenant University, Ota 112001, Nigeria, Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Popopla, A.P.I., Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
In this paper, the corrosion inhibition performance of the bark-extract of Rhizophora mangle L admixture on steel-reinforcement in concrete, immersed in 0.5 M H2SO4 for simulating industrial/microbial environment, were studied. Different concentrations of the plant-extract were admixed in duplicated concrete samples immersed in the acidic test-solution and these were monitored using non-destructive electrochemical techniques, for seventy-five days experimental period. Statistical analyses of the corrosion test-responses, as per ASTM G16-95 R04, showed that the corrosion rate correlated with function of the admixed bark-extract concentration in concrete, the half-cell potential and the corrosion current from the corrosion test-setup. The experimental and predicted model, from the correlation, both identified 0.167% Rhizophora mangle L bark-extract (per weight of cement) with optimal effectiveness, η = 78.6% (experimental) or η = 70.7% (predicted) at inhibiting steel-reinforcement corrosion. The experimental model of inhibition efficiency compares well with results from literature, classifies as very good inhibition efficiency model and thus supports Rhizophora mangle L bark-extract as inhibitor of steel-reinforcement corrosion in industrial/microbial environment. © 2014 The Authors. Published by ESG.