Corrosion-protective performance of nano polyaniline/ferrite dispersed alkyd coatings

The application of nanotechnology in the corrosion protection of metals has recently gained momentum. A polymer nanocomposite coating can effectively combine the benefits of organic polymers, such as elasticity and water resistance, to that of advanced inorganic materials, such as hardness and permeability. Environmental impact can also be improved by utilizing nanostructure particulates in coatings and eliminating the requirement of toxic solvents. Nanocomposites have also proven to be an effective alternative to phosphate-chromate pretreatment of metallic substrate, which is hazardous due to the presence of toxic hexavalent chromium. This article reports some of the preliminary investigations on the corrosion-resistance performance of soya oil alkyd, containing polyaniline/ferrite nanocomposite. The corrosion-protective performance was evaluated in terms of physico-mechanical properties, corrosion rate, and SEM studies. The polyaniline/ferrite nanocomposite coatings were found to show a far superior corrosion-resistance performance compared to that of a pure PANI/alkyd system.