Nanocomposite coatings based on graphene and siloxane polymers deposited by atmospheric pressure plasma. Application to corrosion protection of steel

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology Vol. 377; p. 124928
• Main Authors: Anagri, Abdessadk, Baitukha, Alibi, Debiemme-Chouvy, Catherine, Lucas, Ivan T., Pulpytel, Jérôme, Tran, T.T. Mai, Tabibian, Seyedshayan, Arefi-Khonsari, Farzaneh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.11.2019; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Atmospheric pressure; Charge transfer; Chemical Sciences; Composite; Corrosion; Corrosion prevention; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion resistant steels; Dielectric barrier discharge; Dispersion; EIS; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Engineering Sciences; Fourier transforms; Graphene; Graphene nanosheets; Hexamethyldisiloxane; Infrared spectra; Low carbon steels; Material chemistry; Nanocomposites; Organic chemistry; Photoelectrons; Plasma; Plasma polymer; Plasmas; Polymers; Prepolymers; Protective coatings; Raman spectra; Steel; Steel structures; Substrates; Plasma polymer; Graphene nanosheets; Composite; Corrosion; Steel; EIS; steel
• ISSN: 0257-8972; 1879-3347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.124928

The present study proposes an alternative eco-friendly method to prepare a thin composite coating based on graphene embedded in siloxane polymers which can be used as application for the corrosion protection of steel. The nanocomposite coatings were elaborated by a dielectric barrier discharge using a nebulized colloidal suspension of graphene nanosheets (GNs) dispersed in hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) used as the precursor for the polymer matrix. After obtaining a stable colloidal solution, it was nebulized into the plasma reactor to form a plasma polymer (pp) coating from HMDSO (ppHMDSO) in which GNs were incorporated (GN@ppHMDSO) on the mild steel substrate. The chemical structure of the hybrid coatings was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Raman spectra of GNs and GN@ppHMDSO coatings suggest the existence of charge transfer between the GNs and the HMDSO matrix. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy confirms the synthesis of micro/nanocomposite with a fairly homogeneous dispersion of the GNs in the polymer matrix. The corrosion resistance of the samples was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy which showed that the hybrid coatings GN@ppHMDSO deposited by a one-step atmospheric pressure plasma process, presented excellent anticorrosion performance with 99.99% of protection efficiency. [Display omitted] •Deposition of composite graphene-organosilicon thin films in a one step process•First time DBD discharge used to deposit such hybrid coatings•Very good corrosion resistance of ordinary steel (E24)evaluated by EIS•Anticorrosion performance with 99.99% of protection efficiency for steel•Existence of charge transfer between the GNs and the HMDSO matrix by RAMAN