Evaluation of thin defect-free epoxy coatings using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

The water sorption of thin defect free epoxy films and coatings on aluminium electrodes was studied using the gravimetric method and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that the double layer capacitance of the wetted surface of the aluminium electrode under the epoxy film is considerably smaller than that of a bare aluminium electrode, except in the early period of immersion. The resistivity of the solution absorbed in the epoxy coating is much higher than that of the bulk solution. A method for approximately determining the equilibrium water sorption of the epoxy coatings on the metal surface from the double layer capacitance is reported.