Fabrication of organic/inorganic hybrid waterborne polyurethane coating based on CeNPs @mTi3C2Tx composites for anti-corrosion applications

Ti3C2Tx has been studied as a nano-filler in anti-corrosion coatings, but its poor dispersion, interfacial interaction in coatings and poor long-term anti-corrosion performance limit its application. A series of organic/inorganic hybrid waterborne polyurethane anti-corrosion coatings were designed and prepared based on the barrier effect of MXene and the passivation mechanism of CeNPs, providing a green, environmentally friendly, and long-term efficient organic/inorganic hybrid anti-corrosion method. FT-IR, zeta potential, XPS and EDX analysis showed that the nano ceria was successfully loaded in mTi3C2Tx. SEM testing showed that the synthesized CeNPs @MXene filler had good dispersion and compatibility in polyurethane. According to the results, CeNPs, mTi3C2Tx, and CeNPs @mTi3C2Tx could enhance the anti-corrosion efficiency of waterborne polyurethane and prolong the anti-corrosion time. At the same time, WPU/CeNPs @ mTi3C2Tx exhibited an order of magnitude higher low-frequency impedance modulus than pure waterborne polyurethane and shown superior corrosion resistance over WPU/mCeNPs and WPU/mTi3C2Tx. The best anti-corrosion performance was achieved when the content of CeNPs @mTi3C2Tx was 1.5 wt%. The |Z|0.01Hz value was still close to 108 Ω·cm2 after 120 days of immersion.