Inhibition performance of halogen-substituted benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazones as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

Halogen-substituted benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone derivatives were synthesized and their inhibition performance for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution were investigated systematically using weight loss measurements, electrochemical techniques, scanning electron microscopy and quantum chemical calculations. Results of weight loss measurements indicated that all these compounds exhibited excellent inhibition performance and the inhibition efficiency increased with increasing inhibitor concentrations. Polarization results revealed that the synthesized benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone derivatives were mixed-type inhibitors. Adsorption of these compounds onto a mild steel surface was mainly chemisorption and complied with the Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Both theoretical calculations and experimental measurements suggested that the inhibition efficiency of these compounds followed the order of Br-BT > Cl-BT > F-BT > H-BT.