2. Mechanism of action of inhibitors in aqueous media

The corrosion of a metallic material in an aqueous medium is initially an essentially electrochemical process that takes place at the metal/solution interface [M 150] . When conventional materials (carbon steel, zinc, copper, stainless steels) are used in a corrosive medium such as water, the processes are more complex. Corrosion reactions take place at the interface between the water and the metal coated with a more or less protective corrosion product.

The action of an inhibitor will therefore be :

• either directly...