Investigation of zinc epoxy coatings modified with pyrolyzed and gasified biochar nanoparticles for corrosion protection

Pyrolyzed and gasified biochar nanoparticles (BCN) were manufactured and incorporated into a series of zinc epoxy coatings to investigate how the anticorrosive performance is affected. Electrochemical measurements were conducted to test the coating alongside the exposure. Overall, BCN-modified formulations exhibited enhanced barrier protection, especially on formulations with lower zinc content (10 vol% and 22 vol%). More than 600 h of efficient galvanic protection was found on the gasified BCN-modified formulation with 30 vol% zinc. BCN improved the zinc utilization rate as well, where the unreacted zinc was reduced from ca. 50 wt% to ca. 20 wt% after 930 h of immersion. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction results also verified the effects. The enhancement was attributed to the filling of micropores and extra electrical connections provided by BCN. This study imparts a sustainable solution for enhancing the anticorrosive performance of zinc epoxy coatings.

Automated summary

Pyrolyzed and gasified biochar nanoparticles (BCN) were incorporated into zinc epoxy coatings to enhance their barrier protection and zinc utilization rate. The BCN-modified formulations showed improved anticorrosive performance, especially on formulations with lower zinc content. The enhanced performance was attributed to the filling of micropores and extra electrical connections provided by BCN. This study provides a sustainable solution for enhancing the anticorrosive performance of zinc epoxy coatings.