The impact of modified graphite microparticles (with carboxyphenylene and

benzenesulfonic groups) toward the corrosion behavior of the mild steel in an aqueous
solution of sulfuric acid

Besart Shatri, Bujar Jashari, Valbonë Mehmeti, Jeton Halili, Ramë Vataj,

Fetah Podvorica, Avni Berisha*

Fakulteti i Shkencave Matematike Natyrore, Departamenti i Kimisë, Universiteti i Prishtinës,

rr. “Nëna Tereze” nr. 5, Prishtinë, Republikë e Kosovës.
* Corresponding author: avni.berisha@uni-pr.edu

Graphite represents an important material that among other possible usages, it is also
employed as a starting substrate for the synthesis of nano-carbon materials, including graphene
oxide, graphene and carbon nanodots. The direct use of graphite in the protection of metals
against the corrosion in aqueous solutions is not possible as this material is hydrophobic and
non-dispersible.

Therefore, as a working strategy to change the dispersibility and adsorption properties of

graphite in aqueous solutions, the covalent surface modification of graphite by polar phenyl
groups was performed. In the first step, the synthesis of 4-carboxybenzene- and
4-sulfobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate (produced as a result of the transformation of the
corresponding substituted anilines in the reaction with sodium nitrite in an aqueous solution of
tetrafluoroboric acid) was realized. After the spectroscopic characterization (UV-VIS, FTIR)
these compounds were used for the covalent modification of
the graphite microparticles. The de-diazonation that enables
the formation of highly reactive substituted phenyl radicals is
achieved through the addition of the iron powder as a
reductant. After the characterization, the modified micro
particles (with increased dispensability and adsorption
tendency) were used to assess the possible inhibition
properties of the mild steel in aqueous acidic media. The
corrosion performance was evaluated using Linear Sweep
Voltammetry.