Ginger powder as sustainable and eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for the protection of steel reinforcement bars

In the present studies, ginger powder has been used as an eco-friendly admixture for the cement mortar. Different amounts i.e. 0 wt% (M1), 0.10 wt% (M2), 0.25 wt% (M3) and 0.50 wt% (M4) ginger powder was mixed in the cement mortar (M1) and assessed the durability. The ginger powder with 0.50 wt% (M4) improves the compressive strength by 17 % owing to the water reducing capability, which enhance the hydration reaction and fill the pore matrix of the cement mortar. The active ingredient of ginger powder i.e. shogaol adsorbs on the steel rebar surface through leaching mechanism by interaction of oxygen (O) and п-electrons with iron (Fe) and provide corrosion protection at longer duration of continuous immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Following 173 d in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, the M4 sample exhibits 82.10 % corrosion inhibition efficiency. Therefore, it is suggested that ginger powder could be a potential eco-friendly admixture to be used in construction industries to get high durability performance in the coastal areas. • Ginger powder has been used as eco-friendly admixture for the cement mortar. • Ginger powder increased the compressive strength of cement mortar. • The shogaol active ingredient of ginger powder adsorbed on the steel rebar surface. • 0.50 wt% ginger reduced the corrosion rate by 5.6 times after 173 d of immersion. • Ginger powder act as anodic inhibitor to reduce the corrosion of steel rebar.