Discovering New Surfactants to Protect Steel Pipes

In the world of oil and gas, corrosion is a big problem. It costs a lot of money, can harm people, and pollutes the environment. To fix this, scientists are always looking for better ways to protect steel pipes. In a recent study, two new surfactants were made. These surfactants, called 2C n coesT (where n= 12, 14), were created through a simple two-step process. Tests showed that these surfactants work better at higher temperatures. At 85 °C, they protected the pipes by 98. 0% and 98. 3% respectively. They stick to the metal surface like a magnet, following something called the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Special tests also showed that these surfactants act as mixed-type inhibitors. Looking at the steel under a microscope, scientists saw that the surfactants did a great job protecting the metal in an acidic environment. Computer models and quantum chemistry supported these findings, giving a better understanding of how these surfactants work.