Corrosion Protection of A36 Steel with SnO2 Nanoparticles Integrated into SiO2 Coatings

Abstract

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles were successfully added to silicon oxide (SiO2) coatings deposited on A36 steel by the sol-gel and dip-coating methods. These coatings were developed to improve the performance of corrosion protection of steel in a 3 wt % NaCl solution. The effects of modifying the SnO2 particle concentration from 0–7.5 vol % were investigated by polarization resistance, Tafel linear polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The formation of protective barriers and their corrosion inhibition abilities were demonstrated. It was found by electrochemical studies that all of the coated samples presented higher corrosion resistances compared with an uncoated sample, indicating a generally beneficial effect from the incorporation of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, it was established that the relationship between the SnO2 content and the corrosion inhibition had parabolic behaviour, with an optimum SnO2 concentration of 2.5 vol %. EIS showed that the modified coatings improved barrier properties. The resistance for all of the samples was increased compared with the bare steel. The corrosion rate measurements highlighted the corrosion inhibition effect of SnO2 nanoparticles, and the Tafel polarization curves demonstrated a decrease in system dissolution reactions at the optimal nanoparticle concentration.