Preparation of a Mussel-Inspired Supramolecular Polymer Coating Containing Graphene Oxide on Magnesium Alloys with Anti-Corrosion and Self-Healing Properties

Abstract

Herein, we present a mussel-inspired supramolecular polymer coating to improve the an-ti-corrosion and self-healing properties of an AZ31B magnesium alloy. A self-assembled coating of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) is a supramolecular aggregate that takes advantage of the weak interaction of non-covalent bonds between molecules. The cerium-based conversion layers overcome the corrosion problem between the coating and the substrate. Catechol mimics mussel proteins to form adherent polymer coatings. Chains of PEI and PAA interact electrostatically at high density, forming a dynamic binding that causes strand entanglement, enabling the rapid self-healing properties of a supramolecular polymer. The addition of graphene oxide (GO) as an anti-corrosive filler gives the supramolecular polymer coating a superior barrier and impermeability properties. The results of EIS revealed that a direct coating of PEI and PAA accelerates the corrosion of magnesium alloys; the impedance modulus of a PEI and PAA coating is only 7.4 × 103 Ω·cm2, and the corrosion current of a 72 h immersion in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution is 1.401 × 10−6 Ω·cm2. The impedance modulus of the addition of a catechol and graphene oxide supramolecular polymer coating is up to 3.4 × 104 Ω·cm2, outperforming the substrate by a factor of two. After soaking in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 72 h, the corrosion current is 0.942 × 10−6 A/cm2, which is superior to other coatings in this work. Furthermore, it was found that 10-micron scratches were completely healed in all coatings within 20 min, in the presence of water. The supramolecular polymer offers a new technique for the prevention of metal corrosion.