The mechanism of cathodic electrodeposition of epoxy coatings and the corrosion behaviour of the electrodeposited coatings

Abstract

The model of organic film growth on a cathode during electrodeposition process proposes the current density-time and film thickness-time relationships and enables the evaluation of the rate contents for the electrochemical reaction of OH? ion evolution and for the chemical reaction of organic film deposition. The dependencies of film thickness and rate constants on the applied voltage, bath temperature and resin concentration in the electrodeposition bath have also been obtained. The deposition parameters have a great effect on the cathodic electrodeposition process and on the protective properties of the obtained electrodeposited coatings. From the time dependencies of the pore resistance, coating capacitance and relative permittivity, obtained from impedance measurements, the effect of applied voltage, bath temperature and resin concentration on the protective properties of electrodeposited coatings has been shown. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis gravimetric liquid sorption experiments, differential scanning calorimetry and optical miscroscopy, the corrosion stability of epoxy coatings was investigated. A mechanism for the penetration of electrolyte through an organic coating has been suggested and the shape and dimensions of the conducting macropores have been determined. It was shown that conduction through a coating depends only on the conduction through the macropores although the quantity of electrolyte in the micropores of the polymer net is about one order of magnitude greater than that inside the conducting macropores.