Enhanced Corrosion Resistance of ST-37 Steel Coated with Epoxy Resin Modified by Synthesized Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles
نویسندگان
1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Guilan, Rasht, I.R. IRAN
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Guilan, Rasht, I.R. IRAN
doi
10.30492/ijcce.2025.2063869.7172چکیده
The present research evaluates the improved corrosion resistance of ST-37 steel achieved by modifying the epoxy coating with aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al-doped ZnO) nanoparticles. Pure ZnO and 10 wt.% Al-doped ZnO (Zn0.9 Al0.1O) nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method and characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Nanocomposite coatings were prepared by incorporating 0, 2, 4, 5, and 6 wt.% of the synthesized nanoparticles into the epoxy matrix. The corrosion protection performance of the coatings was evaluated through salt spray tests, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and water sorption studies. The addition of nanoparticles significantly enhanced the corrosion protection performance of the coatings. Importantly, the coating containing 4 wt.% of Zn0.9 Al0.1O nanoparticles demonstrated the best performance, exhibiting an impedance modulus of 9.35 Ω.cm² after 30 days of immersion in 3.5% NaCl solution, as well as the lowest water penetration coefficient of 3.0×10-8 cm²/s. This research demonstrates that Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles effectively enhance the barrier properties of epoxy coatings, providing long-term corrosion protection of steel.
