# Synergistic effect of benzo triazole with polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate in inhibiting corrosion of rebars and chloride diffusion through mortars

## TL;DR

A mixture of benzo triazole and a surface-active agent reduces steel corrosion in concrete and chloride diffusion.

## Contribution

The synergistic effect of combining benzo triazole with polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate in corrosion inhibition is newly demonstrated.

## Key findings

- The mixture reduces chloride-induced corrosion of steel rebars in mortars.
- The combination lowers water absorption and enhances concrete properties.
- NIS shields BTA−, increasing its concentration at the corroding interface.

## Abstract

It is found that mixture of 1,2,3 benzo triazole (BTAH) with polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate, a non-ionic surface-active agent (NIS) effectively improves the properties of the cast concrete as well as significantly reduces the chloride induced corrosion of steel reinforced bars, when added in freshly prepared paste of mortar mixture. The addition of this mixture in the cast mortars is noted to reduce the water absorption in comparison to the control mortars cast using identical materials and under similar cast conditions. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization studies of the rebars embedded in mortars and exposed in cement slurry have been performed to study the role of synergistic mixture on kinetics and mechanism of corrosion of rebars. The characterisation of corrosion products formed on the surface of rebars was carried out by X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy and EDX analysis. It is proposed that the synergistic boosting in protection is caused due to the shielding of NIS around anionic BTA−, thus minimizing their electrostatic repulsion. This facilitates the migration of additional ionic BTA towards the double layer which increases their concentration at the corroding interface leading to reduced susceptibility to corrosion.