Development Of Polymer Nanocomposite-Based Coating For Corrosion Protection

Steel is utilised in a wide range of applications, but it is an active metal with significant chemical and electrochemical activity which it is easily be corroded. The aim of this research is to evaluate the surface morphology and distribution of nanoparticles in the superhydrophobic coating, to measure the property of polymer nanocomposite-based coating and investigate the durability of the superhydrophobic coating in corrosive environment. Because of its superior mechanical qualities, epoxy (EP) was chosen as the foundation coating for this project. The coating can be obtained by altering the surface roughness of nanoparticles where a functionalized medium has been introduced to the nanoparticles. Octadecylamine (ODA) is introduced to improve the hydrophobicity of the coating. To improve the surface roughness, nanosilica and tungsten oxide nanoparticles were utilised as a precursor that was integrated into epoxy after surface modification. The mixture between epoxy, ODA and nanoparticles of different compositions were coated onto mild steel substrate by brushing method. The coated sample were characterized for water contact angle, surface roughness, morphology and corrosion rate using goniometer, AFM, SEM and potentiostat. The epoxy coating with 20g ODA have the highest water contact angle of 122.57° and the lowest surface energy of 10.28 J/m2. The epoxy coating with ODA, SiO2 and WO3 nanoparticles have contact angle of 97.85° and surface energy of 24.36 J/m2. Both samples are hydrophobic coating although it does not meet the superhydrophobic criteria. The corrosion rate of coated sample of ODA and 6g SiO2 is the lowest (0.41042 mm/year). The corrosion rate increase as the current density increases