Sustainable corrosion protection: Chitosan/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite coating derived from palm oil empty fruit bunches on low carbon steel
Sri Suhartini, Novita Ainur Rohma, Andhika Putra Agus Pratama, Nimas Mayang Sabrina Sunyoto, Efri Mardawati, Kasbawati Kasbawati, Abdul Mudjib Sulaiman, Afifah Harmayanti, Femiana Gapsari
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.