Water-based Polyaniline/Montmorillonite/Epoxy Composite Coatings for the Corrosion Protection of Mild Steel

Polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA) doped water-dispersible polyaniline (PANI)/montmorillonite (MMT) clay composites were firstly synthesized by intercalation polymerisation in aqueous medium and characterized by XRD and FT-IR. The results showed exfoliated silicate nanolayers of MMT clay dispersed in the PANI matrix and has interaction involving hydrogen bonding between the PSSA-PANI chain and the surface of the MMT clay layer. This composites is more thermal stable than that of without clay samples and results in good stable temperature-dependent de conductivity [sigma(dc)(T)] as temperature changed. The composite anticorrosion coatings of PANI/MMT and waterborne epoxy resin emulsion (EP) were prepared by mixture in aqueous medium and used for corrosion protection of mild steel. Open circuit potential (OCP), Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel plot demonstrated that the PANI/MMT/EP composite coatings have better anticorrosion properties than PANI/EP, MMT/EP and PANI/MMT/EP mixture. It's impedance and corrosion potential is higher and the corrosion current density is lower. The anticorrosion coatings are environmental friendly because of water dispersion medium.