EVALUATION OF THE INHIBITIVE EFFECT OF BITTER LEAF (VERNONIA AMYDALINA) EXTRACT ON CORROSION OF MILD STEEL IN ACIDIC MEDIA

ABSTRACT Corrosion control for metals has technical, cconomic, environmental, and aesthctical importance. The use of corrosion inhibitors from natural product is one of the best ways to slow the rate of corrosion of metals and alloys. The use of extract inhibitors from natural product is the best alternative because it does not contain heavy metals and is nontoxic. environmentally friendly, biodegradable, casy to obtain, inexpensive, and available in large quantities. The organic compounds contained in the extracts of natural products such as tannins, amino acids, phenolic, and alkaloids contain hetero-atomic groups, which can inhibit corrOSion rate and are interesting to study. With the development of science and technology. many methods are used to protect against corrosion, such as electroplating and coating, and organic inhibitor shows real promise such as bitter leaf extract. Although substantial research has been devoted to corrosion inhibition by plant cxtracts, reports on the detailed mechanisms of the adsorption process and identification of the active ingredient are still scarce. The addition of polar extract of bitter lcaf into a solution of HCI 1.5 M is very effective to rcduce the attack or surface corrosion on mild steel and can maintain its mechanical properties. This project work consciously restricts itself mainly to plant materials, especially Bitter leaf extract, as green corrosion inhibitors.