Affiliation:
1. National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Department of Mechanical
Engineering, India
2. Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, School of Mechanical and
Materials Engineering, India
Abstract
<div>The present work highlights the significance of nanocomposite coatings for their
ease of processing and applicability in combating corrosion. Ongoing research is
dedicated to the development of an effective nanocomposite hydrophobic coating.
A hydrophobic nanocomposite coating was deposited on galvanized iron (GI) using
a sol-gel route with polymethylsiloxane (PDMS) reinforced with
nano-SiO<sub>2</sub>. Surface morphology and chemical composition analysis,
conducted with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive
spectroscopy (EDAX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), revealed
the coating’s structural and compositional attributes. The resulting hydrophobic
coating exhibits a water contact angle (WCA) of 104.1°, indicating a 30.45%
increase compared to bare GI. Subsequent to these characterizations, the
adhesion of the coated GI, rated as 4B per ASTM D3359, is followed by
commendable resistance to corrosion, as evidenced by electrochemical tests. The
corrosion rate for the coated GI sheet is notably low, at 62.78 ×
10<sup>−3</sup> mpy, underscoring its anti-corrosive efficacy.</div>