Effect of Incorporated ZnO Nanoparticles on the Corrosion Performance of SiO2 Nanoparticle-Based Mechanically Robust Epoxy Coatings.

Ubair Abdus Samad,Arfat Anis,Sulaiman I Al-Mayman,Saeed M Al-Zahrani,El-Sayed M Sherif,Mohammad Asif Alam

doi:10.3390/ma13173767

Abstract

This paper presents the studies of the development of a high-performance epoxy coating for steel substrates. To this end, it investigated the synergistic effect of incorporating zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles into nanosilica containing epoxy formulations. The mechanical properties of the epoxy coating formulations were improved by modifying the surfaces of the silica nanoparticles (5 wt.%) with 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane, which ensured their dispersal through the material. Next, the ZnO nanoparticles (1, 2, or 3 wt.%) were incorporated to improve the corrosion performance of the formulations. The anticorrosive properties of the coatings were examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of coated mild steel specimens immersed in 3.5% NaCl solution over different time intervals (1 h to 30 days). Incorporation of the ZnO nanoparticles and the nanosilica into the coating formulation improved the corrosion resistance of the epoxy coating even after long-term exposure to saline test solutions. Finally, to evaluate how the nanoparticles affected the chemical and morphological properties of the prepared coatings, the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Highlights

Different types of coatings have been used according to the area of application for which they are developed, and there has been continuous advancements in these areas
Prepared steel samples were exposed to a NaCl solution, and the results indicated an increase in inhibiting efficiency of 79% for nanoparticle-modified graphene oxide (GO) with the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) process compared to neat GO
This paper explores the synergistic effect of different nanoparticles to enhance the anticorrosion behavior and the mechanical properties of an epoxy coating system for steel substrates

Summary

Introduction

Different types of coatings have been used according to the area of application for which they are developed, and there has been continuous advancements in these areas. Other researchers have incorporated nanosilica, ZnO, alumina, and similar additives to improve the mechanical strength of epoxy coatings, provide anticorrosion properties, and block UV light [10]. SiO2 nanoparticles are extensively used as scratch-resistant agents in the paint industry They provide water repellency properties that protect against corrosion and produce a glossy finished surface [11]. Ramezanzadeh and Attar [15] incorporated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles at different weight percentages into a DGEBA epoxy matrix, followed by curing with a polyamide hardener They found that when added at 3.5 or 5.0 wt.%, the ZnO nanoparticles significantly improved the coating’s corrosion resistance. We recently reported that nanosilica-based epoxy coatings confer good anticorrosive resistance to stainless steel substrates, but their performance gradually deteriorated when immersed in saline test solutions for long periods [17]. The morphological features and distribution of the nanoparticles were revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX)

Materials and Methods

FTIR and XRD Results

Fourier

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Nyquistplots plots of thecoatings coatings after20

Conclusions