In-situ crosslinking reaction of graphene oxide & waterborne epoxy resin to construct continuous phase anticorrosive coating

The mechanism of using graphene oxide as a two-dimensional filler to increase the path length of the corrosive medium to the metal surface is limited to improving the corrosion resistance of the coating. This study propose novel dispersion and in-situ crosslinking reaction mechanism for constructing water-based heavy-duty anticorrosive coatings by using graphene oxide (GO) and waterborne epoxy resin (WEP). The results showed that GO can be uniformly dispersed directly into WEP without complex functional modifications. Oxygen-containing functional groups on moleculars structure of GO&WEP co-polymerized with diethylenetriamine (DETA) forming a continuous phase film which improved the density of the coating. Characterization techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal conductivity measurement instrument, pencil hardness tester, adhesion tester, salt spray corrosion test chamber, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to evaluate coating structure and performance properties. The results showed that graphene characteristics enhanced physical properties and anti-corrosion performance of composite coatings. The construction mechanism of the coating is different from that of the current GO modified and dispersed in the coating as a two-dimensional filler to extend the path length of the corrosive medium to the metal surface. The coatings prepared by adding the optimum mass ratio of 0.1–0.2 % GO to WEP have the best physical properties and anti-corrosion properties. When the GO content is 0.2 wt%, the thermal conductivity increases by 86.0 %. After added 0.025 wt% GO, the coating hardness is increased by two grades directly from 2B to HB. With the addition of GO concentration increased to 0.05 wt%, the adhesion is increased from 2 to level 1.When the GO content exceeds 0.05 %, the coating will not bulge off after 4 months of salt water immersion experiment.