Scientists from Nagaland University in India and the University of Science and Technology Beijing have developed a plant-waste-based nanomaterial that offers long-lasting, environmentally friendly protection against metal corrosion, a problem that costs global industries billions of dollars each year.
The research demonstrates that carbon quantum dots produced from discarded apple leaves can effectively inhibit copper corrosion in acidic environments, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional corrosion inhibitors that are often toxic and environmentally harmful.
The collaborative research was led by Prof Ambrish Singh of Nagaland University and Prof Yujie Qiang of the University of Science and Technology Beijing. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Alloys and Compounds, which focuses on advanced materials and their industrial applications.
Corrosion remains one of the most persistent challenges across infrastructure and manufacturing sectors, accelerating equipment failure, increasing maintenance costs and raising safety concerns. Current chemical inhibitors, while effective, often pose environmental and health risks, prompting growing interest in greener alternatives.
Commenting on the development, Prof. Ambrish Singh, Department of Chemistry, Nagaland University, said the research could have wide-ranging industrial implications.
“In industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation and wastewater treatment, acidic environments accelerate corrosion, driving up maintenance costs and safety risks. Biomass-derived inhibitors like apple-leaf carbon quantum dots could significantly extend the service life of pipelines, storage tanks and industrial equipment while reducing environmental and health hazards associated with conventional chemicals,” he said.
Explaining the scientific mechanism, Prof Yujie Qiang of the National Center for Materials Service Safety, University of Science and Technology Beijing, said the team used a green hydrothermal process to convert apple leaves – an abundant agricultural waste – into nanoscale carbon particles doped with sulfur and nitrogen.
“These elements create multiple active sites that strongly adhere to metal surfaces. Electrochemical tests confirmed that the carbon quantum dots form a compact and stable protective film on copper, effectively blocking corrosive ion transfer,” Qiang said, adding that theoretical modelling showed nitrogen-containing functional groups play a key role in anchoring the protective layer to the metal surface.
Beyond its industrial potential, the study highlights the growing role of waste-to-wealth approaches in materials science. By transforming agricultural residue into high-value functional nanomaterials, the research supports circular economy models and could open new income opportunities for farming communities.
While the current results are based on laboratory-scale testing, the researchers said further work will focus on pilot-scale trials and real-world deployment, including integration with existing industrial coatings.