Adsorption of Polycation and Anionic Surfactant onto Iron Surfaces and the Inhibition of Carbon Dioxide Corrosion

Abstract

The adsorption process of two polycations (pDADMAC and C‐PAM) with different charge densities has been investigated using the quartz crystal microbalance technique with dissipation monitoring (QCM‐D). The effect of the charge density of the polycation, the NaCl concentration, and the complexation with an anionic surfactant are addressed in this work. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy were utilized to analyze the adsorbate with respect to the film coverage and film structure. The corrosion‐inhibiting performance of the films on high‐purity iron in a CO₂ saturated brine, at 25°C, 1 bar CO₂, and pH 4, was investigated by the linear polarization resistance technique. It was found that the polycations adsorbed onto the iron surface, but the corrosion rate of 1 mm yr⁻¹ was not lowered. However, the polycations formed a complex with an anionic surfactant, and such films showed excellent inhibition performance. Both films, of pDADMAC/SDS and of C‐PAM/SDS, lowered the corrosion rate of iron below 0.01 mm yr⁻¹. The SDS concentration was below the cmc. It is believed that the SDS adsorbed into the preadsorbed polycation film, forming a complex structure resulting in a hydrophobic and dense film.

Keywords:

• Adsorption
• polycation
• polyelectrolyte
• surfactant
• complex
• corrosion inhibition
• QCM‐D

Acknowledgments

The work was a part of a joint project between Institute for Energy Technology and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, sponsored by the Research Council of Norway (146514/I30) and Clariant, ConocoPhillips, ENI Agip, M‐I Production Chemicals, Nalco, Norsk Hydro, Saudi Aramco, Statoil, and Total.

Mrs. Marja Kärkkäinen, Mrs. Ritva Kivelä and Monika Österberg Ph.D. are thanked for invaluable help with the AFM instrument. NorFa is acknowledged for a grant for Tekla Tammelin.