Sustainable corrosion protection: Chitosan/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite coating derived from palm oil empty fruit bunches on low carbon steel

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Sri Suhartini, Novita Ainur Rohma, Andhika Putra Agus Pratama, Nimas Mayang Sabrina Sunyoto, Efri Mardawati, Kasbawati, Abdul Mudjib Sulaiman, Afifah Harmayanti, Femiana Gapsari

2025 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Vol. 11 Article Cited by 10 Quartile

Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable corrosion protection materials has prompted eco-friendly innovations. This study developed a chitosan/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite coating derived from empty fruit bunches (EFB) for corrosion protection on low carbon steel (LCS). Using a green oxidation-reduction process with KMnO₄ and ZnCl₂ under optimized conditions (temperature, stirring, pH), the rGO was successfully synthesized. The 90 % chitosan/10 % rGO coating achieved a high inhibition efficiency of 90.65 %, reducing corrosion rates by enhancing charge transfer resistance and creating a robust anti-corrosion barrier. This scalable, sustainable solution offers a cost-effective alternative for industrial corrosion protection. © 2025 The Authors

Affiliations

Department of Agro-industrial Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Veteran Ketawanggede, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Centre of Excellence Bioenergy and Biorefinery, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Veteran Ketawanggede, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Department of Agro-Industrial Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industrial Technology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, 45363, Indonesia; Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makasar, 90245, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, MT Haryono 167, Malang, 65145, Indonesia