Abstract

Adsorption results in an effective blocking of the activesites of metal dissolution and thus diminishes the overall corrosionrate. Gemini surfactants of varying polarity, hydrocarbonenvironment, ionic strength and spacer length have made vital corrosion inhibition tool. They form aggregates at the interface and undergo self-association in solution. Influence of thisaggregation on metal surfaces has become an important pre-requisite to understand the corrosion inhibition phenomenon. Maximum inhibition efficiency is observed around critical micelleconcentration (CMC) which is up to two orders-of-magnitude lower than the corresponding conventional surfactants. Present review article discusses the practical application of Gemini surfactant as efficient corrosion inhibitors. Basic relationshipsbetween their chemical architecture, self-assembling in aqueous medium and its corrosion protection mechanism are discussed.