Wettability and Anti-Corrosion Performances of Carbon Nanotube-Silane Composite Coatings

Broadening the coating applications of sustainable materials by reinforcing epoxidized corn oil with single-walled carbon nanotubes

In the global context of environmental awareness, the present research proposes a sustainable alternative to the widely used petroleum-based epoxy coatings. Epoxidized corn oil (ECO) was tested as potential matrix for advanced nanocomposite coating materials reinforced with 0.25 to 1 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SW) with carboxyl and amide functionalities. The elemental composition of the epoxy networks was monitored by XPS, showing the increase of O/C ratio to 0.387 when carboxyl-functionalized SW are added. To achieve sustainable composite materials, citric acid was used as curing agent, as a substitute for conventional counterparts. The influence of both surface functional groups and concentration of SW was evaluated through structural and thermo-mechanical analysis. The progressive increase of the DSC enthalpy for SW formulated systems indicates a possible pattern for specific interactions within the bio-based epoxy translated by adjusted activation energy. For 1% neat SW addition, the Ea values decreased to 46 kJ/mol in comparison with 53 kJ/mol calculated for neat epoxy. Furthermore, the -COOH groups from SW nanostructures exerted a strong influence over the mechanical performance of bio-epoxy networks, improving the crosslinking density with ~ 60% and twofold the storage modulus value. Accordingly, by gradual addition of SW-COOH filler within the ECO-based formulations, a very consistent behaviour in seawater was noted, with a 28% decreased value for the absorption degree.

Role of graphene concentration on electrochemical and tribological properties of graphene-poly(methyl methacrylate) composite coatings

This study aims to investigate the influence of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) concentration on the electrochemical and tribological properties of GNP-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composite coatings. GNP-PMMA coatings were prepared with varying GNP concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 wt %) using the drop-casting method onto AA6061 aluminum alloy substrates. Results showed that the addition of 1.0 wt % GNP increased the tensile strength of PMMA but further increase reduced the tensile strength and fracture strain of the composites. Permeability studies indicated that 1.0GNP-PMMA had the lowest water vapour transition rate. All GNP-PMMA coatings showed a higher coating resistance and impedance modulus at the lowest frequency compared to neat PMMA with 1.0GNP-PMMA having the highest |Z|0.01 Hz value in comparison to the composites with higher GNP concentrations. According to Raman mapping, an increase in the concentration of GNP in the composite resulted in the agglomeration of graphene, which caused the debonding of the graphene-PMMA interfaces and also resulted in a higher number of shear fronts and other defects on the fracture surface that reduced barrier properties of graphene. The specific wear rate of 1.0GNP-PMMA was lower than that of neat PMMA, indicating improved wear resistance. The coefficient of friction was lowest for 5.0GNP-PMMA, although this was due to a higher amount of material being transferred to the counterface. Accordingly, optimizing the GNP concentration enables the development of high-performance PMMA coatings with enhanced strength, improved barrier properties, and reduced wear rates, making them well-suited for applications such as corrosion protection and tribological coatings.

Anticorrosion Superhydrophobic Surfaces on AA6082 Aluminum Alloy by HF/HCl Texturing and Self-Assembling of Silane Monolayer

In this paper, the tailoring of superhydrophobic surfaces on AA6082 aluminum alloy by chemical etching in an HF/HCl solution, followed by silane self-assembling, was applied for enhanced corrosion protection in the marine field. In particular, different etching times were considered in order to optimize the treatment effect. The results indicate that all the prepared surfaces, after silanization, were characterized by superhydrophobic behavior with a contact angle higher than 150°. The contact and sliding angles strongly depend on the surface morphology at varying etching times. The optimum was observed with an etching time of 20 s, where a microscale coral-like structure coupled with a homogeneous and ordered pixel-like nanostructure was obtained on the aluminum surface showing a Cassie-Baxter superhydrophobic behavior with a water contact angle of 180° and a sliding angle equal to 0°. All superhydrophobic surfaces achieved an enhanced corrosion protection efficiency and impedance modulus up to two orders of magnitude higher than the as-received AA6082 in simulated seawater.

Self-Sensing Nanocomposites for Structural Applications: Choice Criteria

Epoxy resins containing multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have proven to be suitable for manufacturing promising self-sensing materials to be applied in the automotive and aeronautic sectors. Different parameters concerning morphological and mechanical properties of the hosting matrices have been analyzed to choose the most suitable system for targeted applications. Two different epoxy precursors, the tetrafunctional tetraglycidyl methylene dianiline (TGMDA) and the bifunctional bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) have been considered. Both precursors have been hardened using the same hardener in stoichiometric conditions. The different functionality of the precursor strongly affects the crosslinking density and, as a direct consequence, the electrical and mechanical behavior. The properties exhibited by the two different formulations can be taken into account in order to make the most appropriate choice with respect to the sensing performance. For practical applications, the choice of one formulation rather than another can be performed on the basis of costs, sensitivity, processing conditions, and most of all, mechanical requirements and in-service conditions of the final product. The performed characterization shows that the nanocomposite based on the TGMDA precursor manifests better performance in applications where high values in the glass transition temperature and storage modulus are required.