Water-based hybrid zinc phosphate–polymer miniemulsion as anticorrosive coating

Abstract

A water-based hybrid zinc phosphate–polymer miniemulsion was synthesized via a multiple miniemulsion process. In this process zinc phosphate was synthesized in situ using homogenization of two inverse miniemulsions containing suitable precursors dispersed within a polymerizable continuous phase. Converting the resultant inverse miniemulsion into a direct miniemulsion, followed by polymerization, resulted in a water-based hybrid zinc phosphate, organic solvent free, which was used to coat steel panels via autodeposition. The coated panels were subjected to salt spray testing which showed better anticorrosion performance in comparison to an equivalent polymer coated panel prepared with a separate corrosion resistance step.The results show that combination of inorganic and organic properties in one synthesis, combining also their properties and performance, is promising for new generation coatings, functional coatings, barrier coatings, electrodeposition coatings as well as other industrial applications.The miniemulsion was characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Elemental analysis was carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), as well as inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The film coating cross-section was investigated using SEM and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX).