Preparation of a Natural Rubber Nanocomposite Coating based on Fe3O4@Carbon materials and their Corrosion Resistance

Abstract

Fe3O4@carbon nanomaterials/natural rubber (NR) nanocomposite coatings were prepared via a latex compounding method, in which the carbon nanomaterials (e.g., reduced graphene oxide (rGO), graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were efficiently dispersed in NR latex with the aid of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Furthermore, the barrier properties of the various Fe3O4@carbon nanomaterials/NR nanocomposite coatings were studied and compared via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, optical microscopy and potentiodynamic polarization. These results revealed that the Fe3O4@CNT/natural rubber nanocomposite coating was a better barrier against corrosive media compared with Fe3O4@GO or Fe3O4@rGO doped natural rubber coatings. Moreover, the Fe3O4@CNT/natural rubber nanocomposite coating maintained its high anticorrosive properties with a low Rrcco (ca. 5.2×10-4 mm/year) and Icorr (0.05 μA/cm2) over 10 cyclic bends (ca. 120o). Enhanced flexible anticorrosion performance was observed because the Fe3O4 growing on the carbon nanomaterials surface avoided carbon materials/metal connections, thus increasing the electrical resistance of the coating. Additionally, the as-prepared composite coatings were flexible and their structures were less disordered, which could greatly prolong the diffusion pathway of corrosive media in the coating matrix.