Thin Protective Coatings on Metals Formed by Organic Corrosion Inhibitors in Neutral Media

Robust, Flame-Retardant, and Anti-Corrosive Waterborne Polyurethane Enabled by a PN Synergistic Flame-Retardant Containing Benzimidazole and Phosphinate Groups

Waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) have attracted great interest owing to their environmentally friendly properties, and are wildly applied in production and daily life. However, waterborne polyurethanes are flammable. Up to now, the challenge remains to prepare WPUs with excellent flame resistance, high emulsion stability, and outstanding mechanical properties. Herein, a novel flame-retardant additive, 2-hydroxyethan-1-aminium (2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)ethyl)(phenyl)phosphinate (BIEP-ETA) has been synthesized and applied to improve the flame resistance of WPUs, which has both phosphorus nitrogen synergistic effect and the ability to form hydrogen bonds with WPUs. The WPU blends (WPU/FRs) exhibited a positive fire-retardant effect in both the vapor and condensed phases, with significantly improved self-extinguishing performance and reduced heat release value. Interestingly, thanks to the good compatibility between BIEP-ETA and WPUs, WPU/FRs not only have higher emulsion stability, but also have better mechanical properties with synchronously improved tensile strength and toughness. Moreover, WPU/FRs also exhibit excellent potential as a corrosion-resistant coating.

DFT Calculation and MD Simulation Studies on Gemini Surfactant Corrosion Inhibitor in Acetic Acid Media

Gemini surfactant corrosion inhibitor (CI) is one type of CI mainly used in mitigating corrosion in the complex system of oil/gas production industries. Computer modeling methods such as density functional theory (DFT) calculation and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation are required to develop new CI molecules focusing on their application condition as a prediction or screening process before the physical empirical assessment. In this work, the adsorption inhibition efficiencies of two monomer surfactants (2B and H) and their respective Gemini structures with the addition of different spacers (alkyl, benzene, ester, ether, and ketone) are investigated using DFT calculation and MD simulation method in 3% sodium chloride (NaCl), and 1500 ppm acetic acid solutions. In DFT calculation, 2B-benzene molecules are assumed to have the most promising inhibition efficiency based on their high reactivity and electron-donating ability at their electron-rich benzene ring region based on the lowest bandgap energy (0.765 eV) and highest HOMO energy value (-2.879 eV), respectively. DFT calculation results correlate with the adsorption energy calculated from MD simulation, where 2B-benzene is also assumed to work better as a CI molecule with the most adsorption strength towards Fe (110) metal with the highest negative adsorption energy value (-1837.33 kJ/mol at temperature 323 K). Further, diffusion coefficient and molecular aggregation analysis in different CI concentrations through MD simulation reveals that only a small amount of Gemini surfactant CI is needed in the inhibition application compared to its respective monomer. Computer simulation methods successfully predict and screen the Gemini surfactant CI molecules that can work better as a corrosion inhibitor in acetic acid media. The amount of Gemini surfactant CI that needs to be used is also predicted. The future planning or way forward from this study will be the development of the most promising Gemini surfactant CI based on the results from DFT calculation and MD simulations.

Application of Electrophoretic Deposition as an Advanced Technique of Inhibited Polymer Films Formation on Metals from Environmentally Safe Aqueous Solutions of Inhibited Formulations

The presented paper analyzes polymer films formed from aqueous solutions of organosilanes, corrosion inhibitors and their compositions. Methods of depositing inhibited films on metal samples, such as dipping and exposure of the sample in a modifying solution, as well as an alternative method, electrophoretic deposition (EPD), are discussed. Information is provided on the history of the EPD method, its essence, production process, areas of application of this technology, advantages over existing analogues, as well as its varieties. The article considers the promise of using the EPD method to form protective inhibited polymer films on metal surfaces from aqueous solutions of inhibitor formulations consisting of molecules of organosilanes and corrosion inhibitors.

Development of Metallo (Calcium/Magnesium) Polyurethane Nanocomposites for Anti-Corrosive Applications

Long-term corrosion protection of metals might be provided by nanocomposite coatings having synergistic qualities. In this perspective, rapeseed oil-based polyurethane (ROPU) and nanocomposites with calcium and magnesium ions were designed. The structure of these nanocomposites was established through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The morphological studies were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their thermal characteristics were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Electrochemical experiments were applied for the assessment of the corrosion inhibition performance of these coatings in 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution for 7 days. After completion of the test, the results revealed a very low i_corr value of 7.73 × 10^-10 A cm^-2, a low corrosion rate of 8.342 × 10^-5 mpy, impedance 1.0 × 10⁷ Ω cm², and phase angle (approx 90°). These findings demonstrated that nanocomposite coatings outperformed ordinary ROPU and other published methods in terms of anticorrosive activity. The excellent anti-corrosive characteristic of the suggested nanocomposite coatings opens up new possibilities for the creation of advanced high-performance coatings for a variety of metal industries.

Superhydrophobic Anticorrosive Phosphonate-Siloxane Films Formed on Zinc with Different Surface Morphology

The composition, structure, and protective and hydrophobic properties of nanoscale films formed layer-by-layer in solutions of sodium dodecylphosphonate (SDDP) and vinyltrimethoxysilane or n-octyltriethoxysilane (OTES) on the zinc surface with different morphologies were studied by SEM, XPS, water contact angle measurements, and electrochemical and corrosion tests. The protective, hydrophobic properties of phosphonate-siloxane films on zinc and their stability in a corrosive media are determined both by the initial surface morphology and composition of the surface oxide layer, and by the nature of inhibitors. It was shown that preliminary laser texturing of the zinc surface is preferable than chemical etching to enhance the anticorrosive properties of the resulting thin films. The most stable films with excellent superhydrophobic and protective properties in atmospheres of high humidity and salt spray are formed on the zinc surface with fractal morphology during layer-by-layer passivation with SDDP and OTES.

Special Issue: Environmental Corrosion of Metals and Its Prevention: An Overview and Introduction to the Special Issue

Corrosion is a natural process of deterioration and an extremely costly problem [...]

Formation of Composite Coatings on Galvanized Steel from Organosilane Solutions Using Electrophoresis and Sol-Gel Technology

New hybrid composite coatings (HCCs) on hot-dip galvanized steel (HDGS) were obtained using electrophoresis (cathodic polarization (CP)) and sol–gel technology. For this purpose, a technique for the preparation of a cationic precursor based on TiCl₄ and aminopropyltriethoxysilane was developed. Electrophoresis of the charged particles of the precursor and organosilanes promotes the production of denser sol–gel coatings with improved adhesion. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods, the formation mechanism and protective properties of HCC on galvanized steel were investigated.