Effect of quartz filler on epoxy coatings behavior

The effect of quartz (0-60 wt.%) on the mechanical, anticorrosive, and dielectric properties of pretreated steel coatings in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution was studied by abrasion and impact resistance, pencil and Shore D hardness measurements, visual observations after salt spray tests, as well as by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and water permeability measurements. Results revealed that coatings with a quartz load up to 30% exhibit a noticeable improvement of their mechanical characteristics as well as better dielectric and anticorrosive behavior than that of pure epoxy coatings. Further increase of the quartz content results in a lower degree of their behavior improvement or even in their worsening, with the exception of the coatings' surface hardness that increases with the increase of the quartz content.