The titanium dioxide/poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (TiO2/PVP)
nanocomposite was prepared by in situ polymerization using different
concentrations of poly(vinylpyrrolidone). The titanium dioxide nanoparticles
were synthesized by a co-precipitation method using titanium tetraisopropoxide
(TTIP) and ethanol (C2H5OH). The particle size
of the synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles and TiO2/PVP nanocomposite was determined through the X-ray diffraction (XRD)
technique, and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) and Fourier
transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy/energy
dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDAX) were used to characterize the synthesized
nanoparticles (NPs) and nanocomposite (NC). The corrosion inhibition
of low-carbon steel in 0.5 N sulfuric acid (H2SO4) by titanium dioxide nanoparticles, poly(vinylpyrrolidone), and
their nanocomposite was investigated by gravimetric and electrochemical
methods. According to the results of potentiodynamic polarization
curves and alternative current (AC) impedance analysis, all inhibitors
followed mixed-type inhibition and formed a monolayer on the surface.
The gravimetric study demonstrated that all the investigated inhibitors
followed Langmuir monolayer adsorption. Experimental data from atomic
force microscopy (AFM) and quantum chemical analysis also showed that
the protective film developed by the prepared nanocomposite exhibited
excellent corrosion resistance that was superior to that of other
microconstituents.