Optimally Balanced Active-Passive Corrosion Protection by Zinc-Rich Paint Coatings Featuring Proper Hybrid Formulation with Polypyrrole Modified Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Fine balance between active galvanic and passive barrier corrosion protection by zinc-rich hybrid paints is explored depending on the absolute and relative amounts of the electrically semi-conducting particles, viz. polypyrrole (PPy) modified alumina hydrate and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the zinc pigments. The former was varied between 3.21 and 1.75 wt.%, the latter was altered from 70 to 80 wt.% in the primers. The coating with less zinc indicated firm and stable barrier nature in a 254 h immersion test whereas the primer with greater zinc content afforded superior galvanic corrosion prevention in salt-mist test over 142 days. Different nature of the coatings are expounded on the basis of structure and 3D arrangement of the nano-size inhibitor particles in the epoxy vehicle besides interpreted considering varied grain contents caused changing electrical percolation and electrolytic conductivity of the primers.