Effect of silane‐modified fluorinated graphene on the anticorrosion property of epoxy coating

Abstract Fluorinated graphene (FG) is a derivative of graphene with excellent insulating properties, however, the dispersion performance of FG in organic coatings is still a challenge in anti‐corrosion applications. This study aims to propose a simple strategy to effectively improve the dispersion of FG towards enhancing its interfacial compatibility with epoxy resins. FG was modified with amino‐containing 3‐aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) and epoxy terminated 3‐glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS). The chemical compositions and microstructures of FG and the silane‐modified FGs were effectively characterized. Moreover, the corrosion resistance and anticorrosion mechanisms of the epoxy coatings modified by FG and silane‐modified FG were systematically studied, and the results showed that the silane coupling agent effectively improved the dispersion of FG in the epoxy coating and enhanced the interface interaction between FG and the epoxy resin, thereby improving the barrier properties of the epoxy coating and preventing the penetration of the corrosive medium. Electrochemical and tribological analyses showed that the APTES‐modified FG (AFG) coating exhibited better anti‐corrosion properties than the GPTMS‐modified FG (GFG) coating, which is attributed to the improvement of its crosslinking density and barrier properties by the reactions between the amino groups on AFG and the epoxy resin.