Novel microcapsules for the performance expansion of epoxy coatings
A recently conducted research aims to improve the protective performance of coatings in harsh corrosive conditions by using functionalised self-healing microcapsules.
CeO2/PUF MCs and PUF MCs were prepared via one-step emulsion polymerisation. The microcapsules were implanted into epoxy coatings to investigate their self-healing performance. Multiple testing techniques were used to characterise the morphology, crystal structure, chemical composition, thermal properties, and self-healing performance of the microcapsules and coatings.
Performance significantly improved
The experimental results indicated that the CeO2/PUF MCs had a spherical core-shell structure with a rough surface and an average diameter of 1583 nm. Meanwhile, the minimum corrosion products and the highest low-frequency impedance were found in CeO2/PUF MCs coating with artificial scratch, which demonstrated that the self-healing and anti-corrosion performance were significantly improved by the newly developed bi-functional microcapsules.
The study has been published in Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 169, August 2022.
