Influence of Egyptian nanoilmenite/amorphous silica composite particles on the electrochemical and mechanical properties of cold galvanizing formulation coatings

In the present work, Egyptian ilmenite nanoparticles (FeTiO₃ NPs) were obtained with the average diameters of 20?nm by a direct solid-phase milling process and synthesized amorphous silica powder grains were processed to prepare a novel fabricated Egyptian nanoilmenite/amorphous silica composite (ENI/AS) particles. Flaky-like nature of ENI/AS and the spherical shape of Zn-dust particles were emphasized by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) micrographs. The nano features of ENI/AS particles were confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigation. Various alkyd-based cold galvanizing coating formulations were modified using different uniformly dispersing amounts of the processed ENI/AS particles as a modifier to form some nanocomposite coatings. The electrochemical behavior of nanocomposite modified coated steel films in oil-wells formation water solution have been studied by both potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The mechanical properties of the coated films were studied through some coating tests as cross-cut adhesion, bend and impact to assert their application efficiency. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique was utilized to survey the protective film formed on the carbon steel surface by these modified coatings in formation water solution. The results of this study reinforced remarkable corrosion protection properties of ENI/AS modified cold galvanizing coating.