Functionalized Graphene based Epoxy Anti-corrosive Coating for Steel

ARCHANA JOHNY

Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, Kerala

DR. TAPAS KUILA

Senior Scientist, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur

Abstract

Owing to their excellent chemical resistance, mechanical strength and thermal stability, graphene based materials have attracted great interest in the development of new and advanced coatings. This study investigates the protective properties of imidazole functionalized reduced graphene oxide (IMZ-rGO) based epoxy anti-corrosive coating prepared by the curing action of epoxy resin and amine hardener coated over a steel substrate by the spin coating method. The grafting of 1-(3-aminopropyl) imidazole on the surface of rGO was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and XRD analysis. The inhibition performances of the IMZ-rGO/epoxy coatings were studied by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization test in 3.5% NaCl solution. 0.2 wt% IMZ-rGO/epoxy coated steel exhibited 88.75 % increase in corrosion protection efficiency compared with that of neat epoxy coated and uncoated steel.

Keywords: Graphene oxide, IMZ-rGO/epoxy coated steel, corrosion protection properties, XRD, FTIR, EIS