Evaluation of Corrosion Protection for Epoxy and Urethane Coating by EIS under Various Cyclic Corrosion Tests

Abstract

Protective coatings play an important role in the protection of metallic structures against corrosive environment. The main function of anticorrosive coating is to prevent the materials from corrosive agents, such as water, oxygen and ions. In the study, the corrosion protection properties of urethane and epoxy coating systems were evaluated using EIS methods exposed to the corrosion acceleration test such as Norsok M501, Prohesion and hygrothermal cyclic test. AFM analysis of the coating systems was carried out to monitor the change of roughness of coatings. Urethane coating system was more stable than the epoxy coating under given cyclic conditions. Water uptake into the urethane coatings was less than that into the epoxy coating. The urethane coating system showed better corrosion protection than epoxy coating system based on the changes of the impedance modulus at low frequency region with exposure time. Consequently, the corrosion protection properties of the epoxy and urethane coatings was well correspond with their surface roughness changes and water uptakes.