Preparation and Anticorrosion Property of Polyaniliane/Organo-Clay Nanocomposite Coatings: Comparative Studies of Different Intercalating Agent

Abstract

In this study, we present the first systematically comparative studies for the effect of intercalating agent on the property of polyaniline (PANI) -clay nanocomposite (PCN) materials. First of all, (4-carboxybutyl) triphenyl-phosphonium bromide (PC-4) and dodecyltriphenyl-phosphonium bromide (PC-12) were used as intercalation agent, separately, for the preparation of organophilic clay through cationic exchange reactions with Na+-montmorillonite (Na+-MMT) clay. Subsequently, organophilic clay was blending with aniline monomers followed by performing in-situ conventionally oxidative polymerization to give series of PCN materials. Subsequently, the as-prepared materials were characterized by Fourier-Transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction (WXRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It should be noted that Na+-MMT modified with PC12 was found to reveal better dispersion than that of PC4-modified clay existed in polymer matrix based on studies of WAXRD and TEM. It should be noted that the PCN coatings containing PC12-modified clay platelets was found to reveal better corrosion protection than that of containing PC4-modified clay based on series of electrochemical corrosion measurements in saline. Effect composition on the electrical conductivity, optical and molecular weight of PANI of as-prepared PCN materials was also investigated by four-point probe technique, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), respectively.