A novel approach for new cost-saving durable anticorrosive and antibacterial coatings

Multifunctional coatings that perform various actions simultaneously are now of prevailing importance, with zeolites being one of the most useful materials in this field. In this work, Na-P-zeolite was prepared from kaolin and subjected to a cation-exchange process to replace Na+ by Cu2+ and/or Zn2+ to achieve anticorrosive and antibacterial effects. In situ emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate-vinyl versatate (VAc-VEOVA) copolymer at the nanoscale with P-zeolite and Zn-, Cu-, Zn/Cu-cation-exchanged P-zeolites was then applied to obtain P-zeolite-(VAc-VEOVA), Zn-P-zeolite-(VAc-VEOVA), Cu-P-zeolite-(VAc-VEOVA), and Zn/Cu-P-zeolite-(VAc-VEOVA) nanocomposites. Anticorrosive and antibacterial tests were then carried out on films containing the different nanocomposites using laboratory accelerated testing, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the disc well diffusion method with different types of Gram-positive (G(+)) and Gram-negative (G(-)) bacteria, revealing that the film containing the mixed (Zn/Cu)-P-zeolite showed the best anticorrosive and antibacterial performance.