Unveiling the use of invasive weed plant (Chromolaena odorata) based extracts towards protection of metals and alloys from corrosion -A review

SANJAY SUKUMAR SARALAYA; Prem Kumar Siddaiah

doi:10.62638/ZasMat1742

Authors

Sanjay Sukumar Saralaya Department of Chemistry, RNS Institute of Technology, Dr. Vishnuvardhan Road, Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, Channasandra, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3932-3996
Prem Kumar Siddaiah Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seshadripuram Institute of Technology, SIT, Kadkola Industrial Area, Mysuru, Karnataka, India Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5670-2293

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62638/ZasMat1742

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally benign corrosion inhibitors has stimulated growing interest in plant origin materials as alternatives to routine toxic synthetic chemicals. Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed), an invasive and abundantly available plant has emerged as a promising green corrosion inhibitor due to its rich phytochemical composition (flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, etc). This review initiative critically examines reported studies on the use of Chromolaena odorata based extracts for the protection of metals and alloys (mild steel, aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, etc) under diverse corrosive environments (acidic, saline, marine, oilfield, and microbiologically active conditions). The reviewed works employed gravimetric, electrochemical, surface analytical, and theoretical approaches to elucidate the inhibition performance and mechanisms. The overall inhibition efficiencies ranging from moderate to very high (34–99.8%) have been reported, predominantly governed by spontaneous physisorption pathway by adhering to Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The influence of extract concentration, temperature, medium composition, and extraction strategy on corrosion performance is systematically discussed in the article. Furthermore, emerging trends involving lignin, chlorophyll, nanocomposites, etc., derived from Chromolaena odorata are highlighted. This review segment underscores the plant’s significant potential for sustainable corrosion prevention and outlines future research directions toward advanced formulations, mechanistic understanding, and industrial applicability.

Keywords:

Chromolaena odorata, plant extract, metals, alloys, corrosion, adsorption, inhibition

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