Effect of Ammonium Molybdate Inhibition on Corrosion Behaviour of Mild Steel in Chloride and Sulphide Media

The corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 3.0 M sodium chloride and 0.5 M sodium sulphide using various concentrations of ammonium molybdate was investigated in this work. The inhibition effect of this reagent in these media was monitored by weight loss and pH measurements. The analyses of the weight loss results showed that the corrosion susceptibility of mild steel in 3.0 M sodium chloride was more pronounced than in 0.5 M of sodium sulphide due to the aggressive chloride ions in the former and the weak nature of the latter. Ammonium molybdate produced a better inhibition performance of mild steel in 0.5 M sodium suphide than in 3.0 M sodium chloride medium and the higher the concentration of ammonium molybdate the more the inhibition performance on mild steel in the media studied. Optimum inhibition was obtained at 2.5 M ammonium molybdate in both media. The pH values in chloride medium remained acidic throughout the exposure period while those of sulphide medium shifted to alkaline region with exposure time; an effect that was traceable to higher inhibition obtained in the latter medium.