Enhanced Corrosion Resistance of Mild Steel in Acidic Media Using PVA‐Chitosan‐Dopamine Composite Coatings.

In this study, corrosion control of mild steel in acidic media was conducted in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)‐chitosan and PVA‐chitosan‐dopamine composite coatings. Weight loss, polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies were conducted to study the protective mechanisms and performance of PVA‐chitosan coatings. The results showed a substantial reduction in weight loss, corrosion rates, and corrosion current densities for coated specimens indicating the effectiveness of the composite coatings. PVA‐chitosan and PVA‐chitosan‐dopamine coatings showed high inhibition efficiencies (IE) up to 90.65 % and 96.01 % respectively. The electrochemical findings were supported using surface characterization techniques such as SEM to obtain a complete understanding of the coatings' morphology and composition. The topographical analysis confirmed that dopamine significantly influenced the surface morphology and behavior of the nanocomposite. The FTIR spectrum of composite B, which combined PVA and chitosan, exhibited notable changes, including a decrease in both the intensity and frequency of the OH band. The potential of PVA‐chitosan‐dopamine coatings as effective corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic environments offered practical solutions for diverse industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]