One-Pot Preparation of Graphene-Based Polyaniline Conductive Nanocomposites for Anticorrosion Coatings

Graphene-based polyaniline (PANI/RGO), used as conductive filler, was synthesized through a new one-pot emulsion polymerization technology. Graphene dispersion (RGO) was obtained by ultrasonically reducing graphene oxide (GO) in a hot sodium hydroxide solution in the absence of any toxic reductant, such as hydrazine hydrate. Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), in which RGO sheets were dispersed, was synthesized using dodecyl benzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) and NaOH. In this RGO/SDBS mixture, polyaniline (PANI), doped with multiple acids (HCl-DBSA), was then uniformly polymerized on the surface of the RGO sheets. The experimental results showed that this reaction improved the dispersion of the RGO in the PANI system, and increased the homogeneous distribution of the formed PANI particles on the RGO surface. The synthesized composite material (PANI/RGO) had good thermal stability, electrical conductivity (about 11.71[Formula: see text]S[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] and water dispersibility. Based on its excellent properties, the PANI/RGO was combined with waterborne epoxy resin to prepare anticorrosion coatings. The corrosion resistance of these coatings was studied using Tafel plots, along with other critical properties tested by the national standards. The results suggested that the surface resistivity of the coatings could be as high as 2.48[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]10[Formula: see text] with the addition around 3[Formula: see text]wt.% of the PANI/RGO meeting good antistatic standards. In addition, the antistatic coatings had outstanding corrosion resistance, as well as tremendous physical and chemical properties.