Evaluation of the Impact of Two Thiadiazole Derivatives on the Dissolution Behavior of Mild Steel in Acidic Environments

In light of the variety of industrial uses and economic relevance of mild steel, corrosion
resistance is a serious topic. Utilization of inhibitors serves as one of the most essential methods for
corrosion control. Two thiadiazole compounds, namely, 2-amino-5-(4-bromobenzyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole
(a1) and 2-amino-5-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (a2), were synthesized. The structure of the
prepared compounds was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton
and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR and 13C NMR). In a 0.50 M
H2SO4 solution, the effectiveness of two synthetic thiadiazole derivatives as mild steel corrosion
inhibitors were investigated. In this evaluation, various electrochemical methodologies have been
utilized, such as potentiodynamic polarization, open circuit potential (OCP), and electrochemical
impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results confirm the efficiency of the inhibition increases by raising
concentrations of a1 and a2. The inhibitory behavior was explained by the notion that the adsorption
of thiadiazole molecules, a1 and a2, on the surface of mild steel causes a blockage of charge and mass
transfer, protecting the mild steel from offensive ions. Furthermore, the synthesized molecules a1
and a2 were analyzed using density functional theory (DFT).