IIT Guwahati develops corrosion-resistant epoxy coating to protect steel
Corrosion also causes environmental degradation, and impacts human and aquatic life.
Guwahati, Dec 5: Researchers from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have developed a corrosion-resistant epoxy coating for protecting steel structures, exposed to seawater and high-salinity environments.
The findings of the research have been published in Advanced Engineering Materials journal in a paper co-authored by Prof Chandan Das of the Department of Chemical Engineering of IIT Guwahati, along with his research scholar Dr Anil Kumar.
Corrosion is a natural and gradual process that weakens metal surfaces and shortens the lifespan of essential structures, particularly those exposed to saltwater environments, such as offshore platforms, coastal bridges, port infrastructure, and marine pipelines. It has also played a role in major industrial incidents such as the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy and the 1992 Guadalajara explosion.
Corrosion also causes environmental degradation, and impacts human and aquatic life.
Although barrier coatings are widely used for corrosion protection, they do not completely protect the surface and develop microscopic defects over time, allowing moisture and salts to penetrate and damage the underlying metal.
To address this challenge, researchers worldwide have experimented with strengthening epoxy coatings by adding different types of nanomaterials.
Nanomaterials are ultra-small particles, thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair, that can enhance the strength, durability, and protective performance of coatings.
While many studies have explored individual materials or simple combinations, no previous work has brought together reduced graphene oxide (RGO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and polyaniline (PANI) within a single epoxy coating for marine corrosion protection.
The IIT Guwahati research team combined these three materials into one coating system.
The novel nanocomposite has been developed by attaching zinc oxide nanorods to reduce graphene oxide and then wrapping this structure with polyaniline. The composite was then blended into an epoxy coating and evaluated using several characterization methods.
The developed epoxy coating has shown improved performance compared to standard epoxy. It formed a denser and more uniform barrier, showed stronger adhesion to the steel surface, and slowed the movement of corrosive elements more effectively.
These characteristics make it suitable for applications in marine infrastructure, offshore platforms, shipbuilding, coastal pipelines, and other steel structures that must withstand continuous exposure to saltwater.
“The incorporation of RGO-ZnO-PANI nanocomposite into epoxy coating offers a promising strategy for achieving long-term corrosion resistance in harsh marine environments. As the next step, we are working towards assessing the long-term durability, real-world performance, and life-cycle impact of this coating,” Prof Das said.
By
Staff Reporter