Investigation of the chromate conversion coating on Alclad 2024 aluminium alloy: effect of the pH of the chromate bath

The parameters of the chromate bath, like temperature, pH, and fluoride content, strongly affect the morphology and chemical composition of the chromate conversion coating and as a consequence have a large influence on its corrosion performance. In this paper, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used in combination with other techniques to investigate the role played by the pH of the chromate bath on the properties of the chromate film formed on Alclad 2024 aluminium alloy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) have shown the formation of a thicker and less dense chromate layer when the pH of the chromate bath is changed from 2.4 to 1.2. The analysis of the EIS spectra have highlighted that this change in pH leads to the formation of more protective and more resistant chromate corrosion products (CCP) inside the defects of the chromate film. When a thin, dense and protective layer of CCP is formed in the defects, the corrosion behaviour of the chromate conversion coating improves for two main reason: (a) further attack of the defects is avoided or delayed; (b) the change in volume caused by the formation of the CCP is limited resulting in a low level of stress in the film, which as a consequence is not detached from the aluminium substrate.     

A study of the corrosion resistance of a waterborne acrylic coating modified with nano-sized titanium dioxide

The incorporation of nano-sized inorganic pigment particles into organic coatings may offer the potential for improving many of their properties, including corrosion resistance, at relatively low loadings. In the present research, titanium dioxide with a crystallite size of 5-10 nm was added to a waterborne organic primer formulation at loadings from 0.1 to 5% (w/w) and applied to hot-dip galvanized steel (HDG) panels. The corrosion resistance of the modified coatings was measured by neutral salt spray corrosion testing and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), with an unpigmented film tested for comparison. 3% (w/w) TiO₂ appeared to produce an optimum improvement in the corrosion resistance.     

Microstructure and electrochemical characterization of trivalent chromium based conversion coating on zinc

A trivalent chromium based conversion coating (CCC), based on chromium nitrate solution with Co(II) ions, was developed on Zn substrate. The corrosion resistance of the trivalent CCC, measured in deaerated pH 8.0 borate buffer + 0.01 M NaCl solution using anodic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), was very sensitive to both immersion time and bath pH. Micro-cracks were found on the surface of the CCC. Besides, the density of micro-crack and the coating thickness also depended on immersion time and bath pH. With increasing the coating thickness its pitting potential increased and passive current density decreased. The trivalent CCC formed on Zn for 40 s in pH 1.7 bath showed the best corrosion resistance, and the pitting potential increased significantly from −355 mV_SCE for Zn to 975 mV_SCE for the trivalent CCC on Zn. To explain the corrosion behavior of the trivalent CCC using EIS analysis, a modified equivalent circuit, which considered the micro-cracks in the coating and chromium corrosion product (CCP) deposited in the micro-cracks, was designed and the variation of each electrical parameter was examined. Especially, its corrosion behavior was well described by the variation of the resistance of CCP (R_ccp).     

In-situ AFM and EIS study of a solventborne alkyd coating with nanoclay for corrosion protection of carbon steel

A solventborne alkyd composite coating containing modified montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay was made on carbon steel, and its corrosion protection was investigated by in-situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements in 3 wt.% NaCl solution. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated intercalation of the MMT sheets in the composite coating. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated improved thermal stability of the composite coating due to the modified nanoclay. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and AFM examination revealed dispersion and also some aggregation of the nanoclay particles in the coating. In-situ AFM images show a stable coating surface at nano-scale during relative long time exposure in the NaCl solution, indicating an enhanced stability of the composite coating. The EIS results confirmed that the composite coating provides an enhanced barrier type corrosion protection for carbon steel in the corrosive solution, which could be attributed to the intercalated lamellar MMT sheets in the coating that block the defects and decrease the transport of water and corrosive species.     

Degradation study of polymer coating: Improvement in coating weatherability testing and coating failure prediction

Increased awareness of the environmental impact of solvent-borne anticorrosive coatings has increased the focus on long-term performance of a coating in order to make maintenance less frequent. In this work, three anticorrosive coating systems were tested. All samples were exposed to different artificial weathering tests: a neutral salt spray test (NSS ISO 9227) and four cycles (QUV ASTM G53, ASTM D5894, ISO 20340 and a new laboratory cycle). Besides, the same samples were exposed to a 4 years field test in locations with corrosivity classified as C3 and C5M. The degradation of the individual coats of the coating system (topcoat, basecoat and primer) were studied by FTIR spectroscopy and Dynamical Mechanical Analysis. The impact of these physico-chemical changes on the corrosion protection properties of the whole system was discussed based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3 wt% NaCl solution, SEM observations, pull-off test and measurements of delaminated areas from a scribe. On the basis of these results, the controlling parameters in coating degradation mechanism were identified. The relevance of various accelerated test cycles is discussed based on correlation between test results and field exposure.     

Influence of the curing temperature of a cataphoretic coating on the development of filiform corrosion of aluminium

Aluminium alloys are known to be particularly sensitive to filiform corrosion. The initiation of this particular type of corrosion is related to different parameters such as the presence of defects, the permeability of the coating to water and oxygen, the adherence of the paint system and the presence of salts.

In this work, the filiform corrosion resistance of Al 6016 substrates coated with a cataphoretic paint was studied. The curing of the coating was performed at different temperatures (185, 175, 165, 155 and 135 °C) in order to modify its mechanical properties and its permeability to oxygen.

The paint properties were studied by different techniques allowing the estimation of the degradation of the metal–primer system and giving some information about intrinsic paint properties.

The corrosion protection of the coating was evaluated by a normalized filiform corrosion test and by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on scratched samples. The glass transition value and the internal stresses of the cataphoretic coatings obtained for different curing temperatures were determined by a stressmeter equipment.

This study enabled us to underline the influence of the curing temperature on the intrinsic properties of the coatings such as the glass transition temperature, the internal stresses, the adherence, the permeability and the corrosion protection properties.     

Effect of the surface modification of zinc powders with organosilanes on the corrosion resistance of a zinc pigmented organic coating

The surface modification of zinc particles using aqueous organosilane (OS) solutions was conducted to improve the anti-corrosion performance of zinc pigmented organic coatings (ZPC). The surfaces of modified zinc particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the electrochemical polarization method and glow discharge spectrometry (GDS).     

Protective properties of cataphoretic epoxy coating on aluminium alloy AA6060 modified with electrodeposited Ce-based coatings: Effect of post-treatment

Ce-based conversion coatings (CeCCs) are a promising alternative to toxic chromate coatings on the metal substrates. In this work the CeCCs were electrodeposited on aluminium alloy AA6060 from aqueous solution of Ce(NO₃)₃ at different potentials (−0.95 V, −1.2 V and −1.4 V). Effect of deposition potential and post-treatment in the phosphate solution on morphology and protective properties of CeCCs with top cataphoretic epoxy coating was studied. To assess the differences between the protective systems, originating from the different CeCCs pre-treatments, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), polarization measurements, AFM and SEM/EDS analysis were used. The EIS study was undertaken to follow the evolution of corrosion behaviour of epoxy coating/CeCCs protective systems over prolonged time of exposure to the chloride environment (3 wt.% NaCl). Results suggest significantly improved corrosion stability of epoxy coating on AA6060 with as-deposited CeCCs sub-layers with respect to the same epoxy coatings with phosphate post-treated CeCCs. The far best protective properties, i.e., the greatest value of pore resistance and the lowest value of corrosion current density were provided by the epoxy coating/CeCC protective system with CeCC deposited at −1.2 V and without post-treatment.     

A study on the anticorrosion performance of the epoxy-polyamide nanocomposites containing ZnO nanoparticles

Epoxy nanocomposites were prepared using different loadings (2, 3.5, 5 and 6.5 wt%) of ZnO nanoparticles. Nanocomposites were applied on steel substrates. Samples were immersed in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 1344 h. Corrosion resistance of the coatings was studied by an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The effects of addition of nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of the epoxy coating were studied by a dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). Curing behavior of the coatings containing nanoparticles was studied by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Atomic force microscope (AFM) was utilized to investigate the surface topography and surface morphology of the coatings. Coating resistance against hydrolytic degradation was studied by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared).Results showed that addition of low loadings of nanoparticles can increase T_g of the composite. Decrease in T_g and cross-linking density of the coating were observed at high loadings of nanoparticles. It was found that nanoparticles can influence the curing behavior of the epoxy coating. Nanoparticles improved the corrosion resistance of the epoxy coating. Increase in coating resistance against hydrolytic degradation was obtained using nanoparticles.     

Effect of SO4 on the corrosion behavior of cerium-based conversion coatings on galvanized steel

The cerium-based conversion coatings on galvanized steel were investigated and the influence of SO₄²⁻ on the corrosion behavior was evaluated. The coatings were prepared by a simple immersion of galvanized steels in an aqueous solution composed of cerium nitrate and sodium sulfate. The corrosion behavior was studied by means of potentiodynamic polarization measurements and neutral salt spray tests. The addition of SO₄²⁻ to the coating solution considerably improved the corrosion resistance of the conversion coatings. Atomic force microscope observation shows that deposits prepared from the solution with SO₄²⁻ have smaller crystalline size than those prepared without SO₄²⁻. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and titration curves demonstrate that SO₄²⁻ ions are incorporated in the coating during the conversion process. This indicates that SO₄²⁻ acts as a grain refiner and/or growth inhibitor, thus enhancing the corrosion resistance.     

Fault-tolerant hybrid epoxy-silane coating for corrosion protection of magnesium alloy AZ31

In this work, a hybrid epoxy-silane coating was developed for corrosion protection of magnesium alloy AZ31. The average thickness of the film produced by dip-coating procedure was 14 μm. The adhesion strength of the epoxy-silane coating to the Mg substrate was evaluated by pull-off tests and was found to be higher than 16 MPa both in dry and wet conditions. The hybrid epoxy-silane coating showed high corrosion resistance both when intact and when punched through by a needle. The low frequency impedance of intact coating was higher than 1 GΩ cm² after one month of immersion in 3.5% NaCl solution. Both, artificially induced defects and corrosion sites that appeared on the metal surface did not propagate. Their passivation behavior, that we call fault-tolerance, was observed by EIS, SVET-SIET and SEM-EDS. It was ascribed to the good adhesion, high coating integrity and corrosion inhibiting effect provided by diethylenetriamine used as epoxy hardener.     

Effects of different surface cleaning procedures on the superficial morphology and the adhesive strength of epoxy coating on aluminium alloy 1050

This study reports the effects of different cleaning procedures on the surface characteristics of the aluminium alloy 1050 substrates and on the adhesive strength of the epoxy coating to this alloy's surface. The cleaning procedures used in this study were (1) degreasing by acetone, (2) alkaline etching by 5 w/w% NaOH solution and (3) alkaline etching by 5 w/w% NaOH solution followed by acid cleaning by 50 v/v% HNO₃ solution. The surface morphology, chemical composition and topography of the cleaned substrates were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. The effectiveness of the cleaning procedures was also studied by polarization test and open circuit potential (OCP) measurements. The surface free energy and work of adhesion were obtained on the cleaned samples using contact angle measuring device. Pull-off test was conducted to evaluate the adhesion strength of the epoxy coating on the aluminium substrates. Results revealed that the surface cleaning of aluminium alloy by alkaline etching followed by acid cleaning method was the most efficient procedure for removing the oxide layer from the surface of aluminium compared to other cleaning procedures. The surface roughness, surface free energy, electrochemical activity and adhesion strength of the epoxy coating to the aluminium surface were significantly increased using this surface cleaning procedure.     

Effect of Zn and Pb as alloying elements on the electrochemical behavior of brass in NaCl solutions

The electrochemical behavior of brasses with various Zn content (5.5–38 mass%) and brass (Cu–38Zn) with different Pb contents (1–3.4 mass%) in 0.6 M NaCl was investigated. The effects of temperature, immersion time, and concentration of chloride ions on the behavior of the different alloys were studied. The pitting corrosion behavior of Cu–Zn alloys and leaded–brass alloys in 0.6 M NaCl solution was also investigated. Open-circuit potential measurements (OCP), polarization techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used. The results show that the increase in the Zn content increases the corrosion rate of the brass alloys in chloride solutions, while the increase of Pb content in Cu–38Zn–Pb decreases the corrosion rate of the alloy. Long immersion time of the alloys in the aqueous electrolyte improves their stability due to the formation of passive film on the alloy surface. The breakdown potential is shifted to more negative direction with increasing the Zn content, whereas it shifts towards positive values with increasing Pb content. Equivalent circuit model for the electrode/electrolyte interface under different conditions was proposed to illustrate the electrochemical processes taking place at the interface. The electrochemical behavior of the different alloys was discussed in view of the fitting results.     

热浸镀锌层表面偏钒酸盐转化膜

在热浸镀锌试样表面获得了一层均匀、完整的偏钒酸盐转化膜.成膜溶液成分及工艺条件为:NaVO3 5 g/L,pH 1.3,温度30 ℃,时间30 min.对比研究了偏钒酸盐转化膜和铬酸盐转化膜的耐蚀性能.结果表明,偏钒酸盐转化膜由Zn、O、V等元素组成,热浸镀锌层经偏钒酸盐转化处理后电化学阻抗和极化电阻增大,腐蚀电流密度...     

CORROSION BEHAVIOR OF 18% Ni M250 GRADE MARAGING STEEL UNDER WELD-AGED CONDITION IN SULFURIC ACID MEDIUM

The corrosion behavior of 18% Ni M250 grade maraging steel under weld-aged condition was investigated in sulfuric acid medium of different concentrations (0.1–2 M) at different temperatures (30°–60°C). Electrochemical measurements were carried out using the potentiodynamic polarization technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed an increase in the corrosion rate with the increases in temperature as well with increase in the concentration of the corrosion medium. The results obtained from the Tafel extrapolation technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were in good agreement. Activation parameters were evaluated using the Arrhenius equation and transition state equation. The surface morphology of the corroded specimen was compared with that of the un-corroded sample by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).     

The improvement of anticorrosion properties of zinc-rich organic coating by incorporating surface-modified zinc particle

The corrosion behaviors of zinc-rich coating with various zinc contents, ranging from 0 to 60 volume percent, in thin organic coatings (below 5 μm) were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), free corrosion potential (E_corr) measurement and cycle corrosion test (CCT). It was verified that both coatings with 60 volume percent of zinc powder and without zinc powder showed good corrosion resistance mainly due to the cathodic protection and barrier effect, respectively. On the other hand, coatings with an intermediate concentration (10–40 vol.%) of zinc powder was not successful in protecting a steel substrate efficiently. To improve anticorrosion property of zinc-rich coating, the surface modification of zinc particle was carried out with derivatives of phosphoric and phosphonic acid in the aqueous solution. The effects of the surface modification of zinc particle on corrosion resistance of the coating were investigated with scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The best anti-corrosion performance was achieved when the incorporated zinc particle was treated with phosphoric acid 2-ethylhexyl ester and calcium ion simultaneously, which induced the formation of alkyl-phosphate-calcium complex layer of 190 nm in thickness on zinc particles. Corrosion resistance was improved by the decreased zinc activity and the increased compatibility between the formed complex layer on zinc surface and polymer binder matrix.     

EIS法研究3种配套涂层体系的腐蚀电化学行为

采用电化学阻抗谱(EIS)研究了由水性无机富锌底漆、环氧中间漆和氯化橡胶面漆3种涂料配套而成的3种不同涂层体系在3.5%NaCl溶液中的电化学腐蚀行为,考察了氯化橡胶面漆、水性无机富锌底漆／氯化橡胶面漆、水性无机富锌底漆／环氧中间漆／氯化橡胶面漆这3种涂层体系的阻抗谱在浸泡过程中的演化并据此比较了3种涂层体系的防护性能。结果表明,两涂层体系的防护性能比单涂层的还要差,三复合涂层体系的防护性能最好。根据涂层腐蚀电化学阻抗谱特征推测,中间漆在三复合涂层体系中起到了使底漆和面漆结合更加紧密的桥梁作用。     

Electrochemical deposition and characterization of ZnCo alloys and corrosion protection by electrodeposited epoxy coating on ZnCo alloy

ZnCo alloys electrochemically deposited on steel under various deposition conditions were investigated. The influence of deposition current density, temperature and composition of deposition solution on the phase structure and corrosion properties of ZnCo alloys were studied. It was found that ZnCo alloy obtained from chloride solution at 5 A dm⁻² showed the best corrosion properties, so this alloy was chosen for further examination. Epoxy coating was electrodeposited on steel and steel modified by ZnCo alloy using constant voltage method. The effect of ZnCo alloy on the corrosion behavior of the protective system based on epoxy coating is interpreted in terms of electrochemical and transport properties, as well as of thermal stability.     

Experimental and computational investigations of 2-amino-6-bromobenzothiazole as a corrosion inhibitor for copper in sulfuric acid

2-amino-6-bromobenzothiazole (ABBT) as an inhibitor of copper corrosion in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution was researched in this study using with electrochemical measurement, scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and theoretical calculation. Polarization curves manifest that ABBT acts as a modest cathodic-type inhibitor with a maximum achievable inhibition efficiency of 94.6% at 1 mM. EIS test indicates that ABBT adsorb on the copper surface and form an adsorption film, which obeys Langmuir adsorption model. Furthermore, DFT calculation and molecular dynamics simulation were utilized to explore the mechanism of inhibition of ABBT.     

Effect of saccharin addition on the corrosion resistance of polypyrrole coatings

Electropolymerization baths for polypyrrole coating typically consist of two main constituents: monomer and counter-ion. By adding saccharin as the third constituent, a new branch emerges in electropolymerization that will yield coatings with modified properties. In the present study, polypyrrole is galvanostatically deposited onto carbon steel in an aqueous solution containing 0.2 M pyrrole and 0.1 M oxalic acid as the supporting electrolyte with (0.25, 0.5, 2.5 g/l) and without saccharin addition. Determination of the corrosion resistance of coatings in 0.1 M NaCl solution shows that in the presence of 0.5 g/l saccharin, a more noble corrosion potential and a greater corrosion resistance are obtained. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that the corrosion process was under infinite diffusion control of ions during prolonged immersion. The results indicate that the lower diffusion rate of ions in the coating produced in the presence of 0.5 g/l saccharin is responsible for its better corrosion resistance. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows that greater compaction of the coating produced in the presence of 0.5 g/l saccharin could be the reason for its higher corrosion resistance.