The corrosion inhibition of copper powder coated mild steel sheets in 5% NaCl with Ticarcillin (TCN) as non-toxic inhibitor has been reported by Weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, hydrogen permeation studies and quantum mechanical studies. All these techniques indicate that the TCN inhibits the corrosion of copper coated steel in 5% NaCl medium to great extent. Polarization studies confirmed that the mode of inhibition follows mixed type. The adsorption of the compounds on copper coated steel surface obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. © 2015 University of Manchester and the authors.