Polyoxyethylene (40) nonylphenyl ether as nonionic surfactant (PNE) has been tested as an inhibitor for zinc corrosion in alkaline electrolyte (7.0 M KOH) via potentiodynamic polarization together with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The surface characterization of zinc has been examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confirmed by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The Results show that PNE surfactant inhibits zinc corrosion in 7.0 M KOH solution and indicate that the inhibition capability increases with the concentration of PNE surfactant. The maximum inhibition efficiency has been obtained near to critical micelle concentration of PEN surfactant (CMC = 0.25 mM). The battery containing PNE surfactant exhibits better performance. PNE surfactant works as a mixed type inhibitor by physical adsorption. This adsorption obeys Freundlich adsorption isotherm. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.