Structural regulation and wear-corrosion resistance of fluorocarbon/epoxy multi-layer biomimetic soft-hard alternating polymer coatings

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To address the issue of single-layer coatings with uniform hardness being prone to damage and cracking under complex working conditions, and their inadequate protective capabilities, a multi-layered coating structure was designed based on the principle of bivalve shells' resistance to erosion through a combination of soft and hard materials. This design involves alternating layers of hard epoxy resin and soft fluorocarbon resin, creating a multi-cycle layered coating. The study investigated the impact of modulation periods between layers on the mechanical, wear, and corrosion resistance properties of the coatings. It was found that coatings with alternating soft and hard layers exhibited superior overall mechanical properties compared to those made of single-hardness or single-softness materials, given the same thickness. The double-cycle Double coating, due to the presence of soft layers, significantly improved the wear resistance of the coating, with wear rates reduced by 72.8 % and 56.6 % compared to EP and FEVE, respectively. Additionally, the double-cycle Double coating showed an impedance modulus above 107 Ω·cm2 in the later stages of immersion, which is 63.6 % higher than that of the single-cycle Single structure. The multi-layered structure effectively covered the pores formed by the evaporation of curing solvents in the resin, reducing the permeability of the coating to corrosive media and enhancing its corrosion resistance.