Nagaland University led international research team turns apple leaf waste into green corrosion shield

LUMAMI, NAGALAND: Researchers from Nagaland University in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology Beijing have developed an eco-friendly solution to protect metals from corrosion using carbon quantum dots derived from discarded apple leaves.

The research offers a sustainable alternative to conventional corrosion inhibitors, which are often toxic and widely used across infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. Corrosion remains a major global industrial challenge, increasing maintenance costs and safety risks in harsh chemical environments.

The collaborative study, led by Professor Ambrish Singh, Department of Chemistry, Nagaland University, and Professor Yujie Qiang, National Center for Materials Service Safety, University of Science and Technology Beijing, demonstrated that apple-leaf carbon quantum dots can effectively suppress copper corrosion in acidic conditions.

The inhibitors achieved an efficiency of 94.0 per cent at low concentrations, improving to 96.2 per cent over longer exposure periods, making them suitable for real-world industrial applications.

The findings have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Journal of Alloys and Compounds.

Congratulating the team, Vice-Chancellor Professor Jagadish Kumar Patnaik says, a Nagaland University-led international research group has shown how apple-leaf waste can be transformed into an eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor providing up to 96.2 per cent protection for copper.

He said the Indo-China collaboration reflects the university’s commitment to sustainable science that reduces dependence on harmful chemicals while addressing real-world industrial challenges.

Beyond industrial value, the study supports waste-to-wealth and circular economy approaches by converting agricultural residue into high-value nanomaterials, offering potential income opportunities for farming communities.

Explaining the applications, Professor Ambrish Singh says industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation and wastewater treatment face rapid corrosion in acidic environments. He says biomass-based inhibitors like apple-leaf quantum dots can extend the life of pipelines, storage tanks and equipment while lowering environmental and health hazards.

Describing the process, Professor Yujie Qiang says the team used a green hydrothermal method to convert apple leaves into nanoscale carbon particles doped with sulphur and nitrogen.

He says these elements create active sites that adhere strongly to metal surfaces, forming a compact protective film that blocks corrosive ions. Advanced modelling also confirmed the role of nitrogen-based groups in anchoring the protective layer.

While the results are presently at laboratory scale, the researchers plan to move towards pilot-scale testing and real-world deployment, including integration with existing protective coatings.

The collaboration places Nagaland University among leading centres of sustainable corrosion science and underscores the importance of international partnerships in advancing environmentally responsible materials innovation.