Corrosion protection with zinc-rich epoxy paint coatings embedded with various amounts of highly dispersed polypyrrole-deposited alumina monohydrate particles

Active anodic zinc content below 90 wt.% does not support sufficient electrical contacts but higher contents cause high porosity of traditional liquid zinc-rich paints (ZRPs). To resolve this problem, our proposal is the application of highly dispersed polypyrrole (PPy) coated alumina inhibitor particles (PCAIPs) in zinc-rich paint compositions. Using these nano-size inhibitor particles at concentrations from 4.55 to 0.85 wt.%, hybrid paints were formulated with zinc contents ranging from 60 to 85 wt.% at the same time. Submicron morphology and nano-scale structure, spectroscopy characteristics and electrochemical properties of the PCAIPs were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and rheology, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) in first part of the work. In the second part, electrolytic corrosion resistivity of two sets of paint coatings were salt-spray chamber and immersion tested with 5 wt.% aqueous solution of sodium chloride. Active corrosion prevention ability of the salt-spray tested coatings was evaluated in compliance with ISO recommendations. Dielectric properties of the coatings during the immersion tests were monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Corrosion tested area of the coatings was investigated by glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) to disclose infiltration of corrosive analytes and oxygen enrichment in the cross-section of the primers in comparison with their pristine states. Morphology of the zinc pigments was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and quality of steel specimens and the interfacial binder residues by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as well as FT-Raman and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The results of both types of corrosion tests evidenced efficient utilisation of sacrificial anodic current for galvanic protection and improved barrier profile of the hybrid coatings, along with the PCAIP inhibited moderate self-corrosion of zinc. As a result of well balanced active/passive function, the hybrid coating containing zinc at 80 wt.% and PCAIPs at 1.75 wt.% embedding PPy at 0.056 wt.% indicated the most advanced corrosion prevention. Galvanic function of the hybrid paints is interpreted on the basis of size-range effect and spatial distribution of the alumina supported PPy inhibitor particles and basic electrical percolation model considerations. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.