Effect of CeO2–GO Nanocomposite on the Anticorrosion Properties of Epoxy Coating in Simulated Acid Rain Solution

Abstract

The lamellar structure of graphene oxide and the filling effect of nano-cerium oxide particles together provide a good barrier and stability to coating. In this paper, cerium oxide-graphene oxide (4:1) nanocomposite was prepared by the hydrothermal synthesis method. The effect of cerium oxide–graphene oxide (4:1) nanocomposite on the anticorrosion properties of epoxy coating in simulated acid rain solution was studied by open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Mott–Schottky curve, Tafel curve, and micromorphological characterization, in order to compare it with pure epoxy coating, graphene oxide epoxy coating, and cerium oxide epoxy coating. The obtained results showed that cerium oxide–graphene oxide (4:1) epoxy coating’s protection efficiency was as high as 98.62%. These results indicated that cerium oxide–graphene oxide modified anticorrosive coating had an excellent application prospect in an acid rain environment. Meanwhile, owing to the poor protection ability of epoxy resin and unstably hydrolysis product of CeO2 to the acidic medium, the resistance of CeO2–GO (4:1)/EP coating to acidic corrosive medium was relatively poorer than that of neutral and saline-alkali corrosive medium.