New review: Smart MSN containers for corrosion inhibitors

The application of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) as smart containers to distribute corrosion inhibitors gradually over time for metal protection has been well documented. This material possesses unique properties such as tunable surface and pore, high thermal and chemical stability, large pore volume and pore size, relatively low toxicity, and water solubility.

Improving the service life of coatings

These properties of MSN enable it to encapsulate large volumes of corrosion inhibitors which upon installation of an appropriate gatekeeper can release inhibitors at a controlled rate thereby improving the service life of coatings when dispersed within. In a newly published mini-review, the authors look at the structure and properties of MSN, various synthetic routes reported in the literature, the nucleation and growth mechanism proposed thus far, some of the challenges still encountered in the synthesis of MSN as well as various ways it has been applied as a “smart” container for the controlled release of corrosion inhibitors in coatings.

The review has been published in Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, Volume 22, Issue 1, January 2025.

Reading tip: Corrosion protection coatings

The book “Anticorrosive Coatings: Fundamentals and New Concepts” brings together all the disciplines involved in the creation and use of corrosion protection coatings for metals. It presents the latest insights into the quality and chemistry of surfaces, the proper way to prepare them by conversion treatment, the function of resins and anticorrosion pigments in paints, and novel concepts in corrosion protection. As an added bonus, all the standards and directives mentioned in the text are grouped together in their own chapter for a better overview.