a pigment grade corrosion inhibitor and a method of forming the inhibitor is disclosed . the inhibitor is comprised of a host species comprised of an inorganic compound having a layered structure and a guest species comprised an anionic species of a weak acid . the host species is preferably a double hydroxide having a structure of : 1 - x m x 2 ] , where m is a divalent metal cationic species , m is a trivalent metal cationic species , and a n − is an anionic species , preferably with the species present in a range of : 0 . 2 ≦ m /+ m )≦ 0 . 4 . the guest species include : ortho - phosphoric , pyrophosphoric , tripoly - phosphoric , polyphosphoric acid ; mono - and di - alkyl or aryl - esters of ortho - phosphoric and pyrophosphoric acid ; metaphosphoric , trimeta - phosphoric , poly - metaphosphoric acid ; phosphorous acid ; derivatives of phosphonic acid ; alkyl and aryl esters of thio - phosphoric and dithio - phosphoric acid ; molybdic , phospho - molybdic , silico - molybdic acid ; boric acid ; cyanamidic acid ; nitrous acid ; derivatives of thio - and dithiocarbonic acid , including o - alkyl esters ; derivatives of dithiocarbamic acid , including n - alkyl dithiocarbamates ; pyrrolidinecarbodithioic acid ; thio - organic compounds functionalized with at least one — sh group of acidic character , including : 2 , 5 - dimercapto - 1 , 3 , 4 - thiadiazole , 2 , 4 - dimercapto - s - triazolo -- 1 , 3 - 4 thiadiazole , trithiocyanuric acid , and dithiocyanuric acid , various n —, s — and n , n —, s , s — and n , s - substituted derivatives of the above dmtd and tmt compounds ; various s - substituted derivatives of trithiocyanuric acid ; dimer and polymer derivatives of the above dmtd and tmt compounds , including 5 , 5 ′ dithio - bis - thione or 2 , and n , polymers of dmtd and 2 , dimers and polymers of tmt ; various combinations of all the above ; soluble salts of dmtd and tmt ; poly - ammonium salt of dmtd or n and tmt formed with polyamines ; mercapto - benzothiazole , mercapto - benzoxazole , mercapto - benzimidazole , and combinations , thereof ; di - and poly - mercapto compounds , including : di - mercapto derivatives of thiophene , pyrrole , furane , diazoles , and thiadiazoles ; di - and tri - mercapto derivatives of pyridine , diazines , triazines , benzimidazole , and benzothiazole , including dimercaptopyridine , 2 , 4 - dithiohydantoine , and 2 , 4 ,- dimercapto - 6 - amino - 5 - triazine ; and carboxylic and di - carboxylic acids , including ascorbic , salicylic acid , phthalic acid , nitro - phthalic acid , succinic acid , and derivatives of succinic acid , including 1 - succinic acid .