ABSTRACT
The impact of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) in controlling the induced corrosion of mild steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution was investigated using experimental and theoretical approach respectively. The experimental approach used includes weight loss measurement, potentiodynamic polarization technique whereas chemical quantum computation was the theoretical approach used. It is observed that PVAc inhibited the dissolution of mild steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 acid solution effectively, with inhibition efficiency of up to 85.67% according to weight loss results. Furthermore, PVAc was found to exhibit the characteristic features of mixed-type inhibition from polarization results. Adsorption of PVA on the mild steel surface followed the trend of Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The proposition of chemical adsorption for the inhibition mechanism was dependent on the calculated values of energy of activation, heat of adsorption and rise in temperature with in inhibition efficiency. Chemical quantum computations revealed adsorption capability of PVAc repeat unit and PVAc molecules clusters on the mild steel surface. Finally, the theoretical computation results were in conformity with the experimental findings.
