Seawater is a hostile environment not only for people but also for metals and
alloys. It is often considered that sea water is the most severe environment to which
materials can be exposed. Warmer water accelerates the rate of corrosion due to high
temperature and particularly aggressive. In this chapter, marine corrosion, its
mechanism, factors affecting corrosion and several methods adopted for the prevention
of corrosion are described with an emphasis on marine corrosion inhibitors. Organic
compounds containing hetero atoms like O, N, S, etc., along with double and triple
bonds are found to be very effective in preventing marine corrosion of alloys and
metals. Most of the corrosion inhibitors are found to show inhibition property by
getting adsorbed on to the metal surface through the principle of different adsorption
isotherms known. The maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency of organic inhibitors is
found to be more than 99%. The use of inorganic compounds and paints as corrosion
inhibitors is discussed.
Keywords: Corrosion Inhibitors, Factors Affecting Corrosion, Marine Corrosion,
Mechanism of Corrosion, Stainless Steel & Alloys.
