Abstract
Silane-based coatings with nanoparticles have been widely used in applications related to surface protection. Between them, the improvement of corrosion resistance by increasing the hydrophobicity is one of the main research goals. However, most coatings present problems of low wear resistance and poor aesthetic appearance. Therefore, the overall goal of this research is to manufacture hydrophobic sol-gel coatings based on silanes which comply with good tribological and aesthetical properties. In the present study, stainless steel plates were coated with a silane-based solution containing zirconia nanoparticles by dip coating. Water–ethanol solutions with silanes (methyltrimethoxysilane (MTS) and tetrathoxysilane (TEOS)) and different percentages of ZrO2 nanoparticles were prepared. Gloss, color, contact angle, surface energy, wear resistance, and thickness of coating were analyzed to elucidate the effect of zirconium oxide on the performance of the coatings. Results demonstrate that the ZrO2–silane coatings on stainless steel offer a balanced combination of properties: low wettability, high wear resistance, and similar color and brightness compared to pristine stainless steel.
Highlights
Inorganic sol-gel coatings based on metal/oxygen networks are widely used for protecting metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, and copper from oxidation and corrosion
The austenitic stainless steel is successfully coated by a silane-based solution with zirconia nanoparticles
It is proved by FTIR, where the bands corresponding to silanes and zirconia were observed, and XRF, which shows an increasing percentage of zirconia
Summary
Inorganic sol-gel coatings based on metal/oxygen networks are widely used for protecting metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, and copper from oxidation and corrosion. These kinds of coatings promote high corrosion resistance, but interfacial adhesion, shrinkage, and oxidation of the substrate remain a problem. To avoid these problems, organic–inorganic hybrid coatings are investigated. The most extended applications of these coatings are associated with the isolation and protection in corrosive environments [2,3], surfaces with hydrophobic properties [4,5], and improvement of adhesive characteristics [6,7]. The most commonly used coatings are based on materials with poor tribological properties
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