Self-assembled graphene oxide microcapsules in Pickering emulsions for self-healing waterborne polyurethane coatings

A self-assembly process was employed to prepare the graphene oxide microcapsules (GOMCs), containing linseed oil as the healing agent. The nanometer-thick shells of GOMCs were built by the liquid crystalline assembling of graphene oxide (GO) sheets, forming at liquid liquid interface in Pickering emulsions. The GOMCs were embedded into waterborne polyurethane matrix, enabling the facile fabrication of self-healing composite coatings on hot-dip galvanized steel surfaces. The inclusion of GOMCs in the composite coatings not only imparted self-healing properties to the coatings, but also improved their anticorrosion properties because of the physical barrier of the GO shell, leading to much better survival to the weather/marine environment and surface wear. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.