Electrochemical investigations of copper corrosion inhibition by azithromycin in 0.9% NaCl

The corrosion behavior of copper in 0.9% NaCl solution in the presence of azithromycin was investigated. For this purpose electrochemical methods such as open circuit potential measurements, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used. The results obtained by potentiodynamic polarization indicated that azithromycin behaves as mixed type inhibitor. The order of inhibition efficiency obtained by potentiodynamic polarization is in good agreement with results achieved by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Also, the inhibition efficiency of azithromycin increases with increasing its concentration. According to the micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, in the presence of azithromycin, protective film is formed on the copper surface. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.