A faculty member from the College of Agriculture participated as part of a research team from various colleges at the University of Diyala to publish a scientific paper in a globally recognized journal indexed in Scopus, based in the Russian Federation.

Assistant Lecturer Noor Hatem Khurshid from the Department of Soil and Water Resources at the College of Agriculture, University of Diyala, collaborated with a research team from various university colleges to publish a scientific paper in a globally recognized journal in the Russian Federation, indexed in Scopus with a Q2 ranking and an impact factor of 0.4. The paper is entitled “Cucumber Peel Extract as an Eco-Friendly Corrosion Inhibitor for Low-Carbon Steel in Sulfuric Acid.”

The research addresses critical areas related to sustainable development and environmental preservation. It explores the use of cucumber peel extract (CPE) as a sustainable, eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor to mitigate the corrosion of low-carbon steel in 0.5M sulfuric acid. The study aims to address environmental concerns associated with traditional corrosion inhibitors by investigating the potential of biodegradable natural materials.

The effects of temperature and inhibitor concentration on corrosion rates were examined using the weight-loss method, providing a quantitative measure of corrosion processes. The results show that CPE significantly reduces the corrosion rate of low-carbon steel in acidic environments, indicating its potential as a promising alternative to synthetic inhibitors. The inhibition efficiency of CPE increased with higher concentrations but decreased with elevated temperatures.

The highest inhibition efficiency, 87.4%, was achieved at 30°C with a CPE concentration of 10 mL/L, demonstrating substantial protection under optimal conditions. Adsorption studies revealed that the behavior of CPE follows the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating monolayer adsorption on the steel surface.

This study highlights the potential of cucumber peel extract as an effective, environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor, encouraging further exploration and application of natural extracts in corrosion prevention. The findings provide a foundation for developing green corrosion inhibitors that can contribute to sustainable industrial practices.