Abstract
In this paper, three quinoline-based quaternary ammonium salts were successfully synthesized, with quinoline, 8-hydroxyquinoline, and 8-methoxyquinoline used as raw materials, and benzyl chloride as a quaternization reagent. The as-synthesized quaternary ammonium salts showed excellent corrosion inhibition performance in the acidic environment based on the derivative's cationic activity, heteroatom electron effect, and conjugated aromatic system. Specifically, the methoxy-containing product exhibited the highest corrosion inhibition efficiency of 96.92%. The quantitative calculation analysis demonstrated that the addition of methoxy and hydroxyl groups facilitated the quaternization reaction and enhanced the adsorption of the quaternary ammonium salts on the metal surface. The molecular dynamics study indicated that the three corrosion inhibitors adsorbed on the metal surface in a parallel orientation. This study has a certain reference significance for the research and development of quaternary ammonium salt as corrosion inhibitors in an acidic environment.