Polyester-based powder coatings with montmorillonite nanoparticles applied on carbon steel

In nanotechnology and nanoscience the development of hybrid (organic-inorganic) nanocompounds has attracted particular attention due to the significant improvement in the properties and the wide diversity of applications compared to conventional composites. In this study, formulations of commercial powder coatings were investigated with 2 and 4% (w/w) of montmorillonite (MMT) in the polyester resin matrix. The coatings were applied by electrostatic spraying on AISI 1008 carbon steel panels. The samples were characterized by TGA, DSC, XRD and TEM. The corrosion performance was evaluated using the salt spray test. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of MMT in the coatings in the exfoliated form. The formulations with MMT presented better performance in terms of the corrosion protection properties. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.