Mechanical properties of mild steel by adding Theobroma Cacao Peels Extract (TCPE) inhibitor

The ability of corrosion inhibitor Theobroma cacao Peels Extract (TCPE) has been tested to improve the mechanical properties of mild steel after corrosion occurred. These properties were examined to measure its hardness, tensile and fatigue. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to analyze the morphology of the surface. The corrosion rate was found reducing, on the contrary, the efficiency was increasing as the increasing concentration on the extract. This raising was followed by an increase in mechanical properties, namely hardness, strength and fatigue strength. Indeed, the presence of absorption on the surface of the data was reinforced by EDX, X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS), and AFM for topography. The addition of polar extract of cacao peels in HCl 1.5M is very useful to reduce the corrosion rate on the mild steel surface, and it can retain its mechanical properties after the corrosion occurred. (paper)