Synthesis and Characterization of Waterborne Epoxy–Acrylic Corrosion-Resistant Coatings

Waterborne acrylate (AC) and epoxy–acrylate (EAC), and the ether of melamine formaldehyde (EM) as cross-linker, were synthesized. The structures of AC and EAC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. Their anticorrosive EM-cured AC and EAC coatings (referred to here as AC/EM and EAC/EM, respectively) were applied on mild steel strips and their properties were evaluated by physicomechanical and corrosion resistance tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The coating system EAC/EM exhibited superior performance in all aspects of physicomechanical performance, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability when compared with AC/EM.