Mitigating corrosion and biofouling with nanofillers
The capability to improve the performance of polymer coatings with the inclusion of nanomaterials is a vital factor for mitigating corrosion and biofouling. Researchers have used nanocomposites as fillers for epoxy coatings to protect steel against corrosion and bacterial growth.
A novel TiO2-CuO nanocomposite was synthesised using oxalate method and the composite was characterised for its phase composition and morphology using different techniques.
Strong antimicrobial activity
Surface characterisation revealed the shape and uniform distribution of CuO and TiO2 nanoparticles. The results of electrochemical measurements conducted in 3.5% NaCl solution exhibited enhanced corrosion-protective properties of epoxy coatings with synthesised TiO2-CuO nanocomposites compared with the pure epoxy coating. In addition, the coated mild steel substrates showed that the nanocomposite coatings presented strong antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli.
The study is published in: Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 114, January 2018, Pages 9-18.
