Graphene oxide nanoplatforms reduction by green plant-sourced organic compounds for construction of an active anti-corrosion coating; experimental/electronic-scale DFT-D modeling studies

Abstract

In this study, the Peganum harmala seed extract (PHSE) was used as a green reducing agent of graphene oxide with high deoxygenation capability. PHSE not only acts as a reducing agent of GO due to the high amount of nitrogen-rich compounds but also plays an essential role in the particles' active anti-corrosion performance improvement. In order to add more active inhibition property, the zinc cations were doped successfully on the chemical structure of GO nanosheets, and eventually, the RGO-PHSE-Zn nanocomposite was obtained. The FT-IR results and UV–visible achievements declared that the epoxide (-C-O-C-) functional groups attached to the surface of the GO nanosheets had been successfully reduced in the presence of PHSE. The EIS analysis was also performed to assess the RGO-PHSE-Zn anti-corrosion effects in the solution phase (NaCl 3.5 wt%) and epoxy matrix. Results disclosed that through the incorporation of RGO-PHSE-Zn particles into the epoxy film, not only the barrier action but also the active self-healing anti-corrosion properties of the coating was significantly improved.