Chapter 4: Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) as Corrosion Inhibitors

Corrosion, being a spontaneous process, is a substantial protagonist in the degradation of metal and industrial parts, and consequently affects the global economy. Studies that incorporate the techniques of corrosion and economical cost have attracted the attention of researchers and these areas are being greatly investigated. New methods and materials are being developed which are capable of enhancing corrosion inhibition efficiency tremendously. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) signify an immensely fascinating solution for anticorrosive effects owing to their remarkable mechanical, thermal, electrical, and morphological features. CNTs have been touted as having the potential to kick-start a technological revolution in corrosion mitigation in a short period of time. The wide-ranging utilization of CNTs and their derivatives is due to high surface-to-volume relation and dispersibility, as well as their exceptional ability to engage with metallic surfaces. CNTs and their compounds have proven to be effective catalysts for chemical reactions, on surfaces for removing various hazardous metal ions, for metal-based and polymer-based composites, and anticorrosive applications. To pave the way for future developments in such novel coatings, this chapter reviews groundbreaking scientific studies on the exploitation of carbon nanotubes as a solution to enrich the performance of anticorrosion coatings, with a focus on conducting polymer–CNT composite coatings and development of metal–CNTs.