Aliphatic polyurethane–montmorillonite nanocomposite coatings: Preparation,characterization, and anticorrosive properties

Polyurethane (PU)–clay nanocomposite coatings were prepared by a sonication method. The stability and morphology of these coatings was characterized by turbidometry, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The anticorrosive properties of these coatings were investigated by salt‐spray and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods. According to the results, dispersed nanoclay layers in the matrix of the nanocomposite coating compositions led to superior anticorrosive characteristics compared to those of pure PU coatings. The best results were obtained with coatings containing about 5 wt % clay. The resistance of the coating containing 5% clay was about 9.002 GΩ after 225 days of immersion in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution, whereas it was only 97 kΩ for the pure PU coating. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011