Abstract
Electrically-conductive (in the region of 10−3 S.cm−1) epoxidized natural rubber-polyaniline dodecylbenzenesulfonate [ENR-PAni.DBSA] blend was prepared, and the effect of incorporation of WO3 on its corrosion inhibition behaviour for carbon steel was assessed for the first time. It was found that the electrical conductivity of this blend could be enhanced by up to an order of magnitude for WO3 loadings of 20.0–22.5 wt.%. From both total immersion and electrochemical corrosion tests, ENR-PAni.DBSA blends with 20.0–22.5 wt.% of WO3 were found to be the best corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel, in both acid and artificial brine environments. However, a blend containing a higher WO3 content (i.e. 25.0 wt.%) showed a significant poorer corrosion inhibition behaviour for carbon steel due to its more severe phase separation and porosity between the ENR host matrix and WO3.