Enhanced anticorrosion and wear resistance of epoxy coatings via surface amphiphilic functionalization of silica fillers

In this study, we develop a novel anticorrosive and wear-resistant epoxy resin coating through the synergistic modification of silica nanoparticles using phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) and aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). This amphiphilic dual-functionalization strategy improves the dispersion of nanoparticles and enhances interfacial bonding with the epoxy matrix. Characterization using FTIR, SEM, and EIS reveals that the resulting hybrid coating exhibited exceptional corrosion resistance, maintaining high low-frequency impedance (|Z|0.01 Hz) of 2.29 x 109 Omega & sdot;cm2 after 21 days of immersion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Friction and wear tests demonstrate remarkable wear resistance, with the coating preserving its integrity and hydrophobicity (contact angle decreasing only slightly from 116.8 degrees to 93.1 degrees) even after the control group fails. Compared to conventional anticorrosive coatings employing single-silane functionalization or unmodified nanoparticle systems, the dualsilane modified coating exhibits superior interfacial compatibility and sustained protective performance under prolonged exposure to corrosive environments. These results underscore the effectiveness and promise of synergistic multi-group functionalization strategies in advancing the performance of protective coatings.