Synergistic Effect between Zinc Particles and Graphene on the Anti-Corrosion Performance of Epoxy Coatings

In this paper, the synergistic effect between zinc particle and graphene as anti-corrosion coatings was investigated. The epoxy coatings with 0.5% graphene and different contents of zinc particles were prepared. The graphene was characterized by Raman and FT-IR spectra. Synergistic effect between different zinc content and graphene on the corrosion protection behaviors of epoxy coatings was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), salt spray and contact angle measurements. The results showed that the addition of 0.50% graphene into the coating could significantly enhance barrier effect of epoxy coating and reduce the amount of zinc powder in the zinc rich coating. The cross-sectional morphologies and elemental distribution of the 50 % Zn+0.50 % Gnps coating at different immersion time were analyzed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results confirmed that the zinc particles near the metal substrate have not significantly reduced in the early stage, indicating the metal has not undergone a severe corrosion. With the immersion time prolonged, the cross-section of the coating became uneven (after 20 days' immersion), which could be ascribed to the consumption of zinc particles in the coating.