Corrosion inhibition relevance of semicarbazides: electronic structure, reactivity and coordination chemistry

Abstract Semicarbazide (OC(NH2)(N2H3)) and thiosemicarbazide (SC(NH2)(N2H3)) are well-known for their coordination complex formation ability. They contain nonbonding electrons in the form of heteroatoms (N, O and S) and π-electrons in the form of >C=O and >C=S through they strongly coordinate with the metal atoms and ions. Because of their association with this property, the Semicarbazide (SC), thiosemicarbazide (TSC) and their derivatives are widely used for different applications. They serve as building blocks for synthesis of various industrially and biologically useful chemicals. The SC, TSC and they derivatives are also serve as strong aqueous phase corrosion inhibitors. In the present reports, the coordination ability and corrosion protection tendency of Semicarbazide (SC), thiosemicarbazide (TSC) and their derivatives is surveyed and described. These compounds are widely used as inhibitors for different metals and alloys. Through their electron rich sites they adsorb on the metal surface and build corrosion protective film. Their adsorption mostly followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Through their adsorption they increase the value of charge transfer resistance and decrease the value of corrosion current density. Computational studies adopted in the literature indicate that SC, TSC and their derivatives adsorb flatly and spontaneously using charge transfer mechanism.