Innovation in corrosion protection:

graphene oxide technology

Corrosion is the greatest challenge that many industries in the world must face. Currently, there is a wide variety of coatings on the market for protection against corrosion. However, most of these coatings do not have the physicochemical characteristics necessary for good performance. These coatings does not have perfect barriers and eventually fail, their chemical resistance depends on their impermeability to chemical substances, and with it their resistance to abrasion and their adhesion capacity.

Currently Energeia – Graphenemex®, a leading Mexican company in Latin America in the research and production of graphene materials for the development of industrial applications, has a wide range of coatings through its Graphenergy line.

Graphenergy is the line of nanotechnological coatings with graphene oxide, which has a complete portfolio of high-performance anticorrosive coatings for Industrial and Infrastructure maintenance.

Taking into account that the infrastructure or industrial equipment may be exposed to environments with different degrees of corrosion (intermediate or extreme), the use of Coating Systems for corrosion protection is recommended, Graphenergy offers the following alternatives:

1. ALKYD SYSTEM

Recommended for intermediate or mild corrosion environments (intermediate corrosive or aggressive conditions). This system is weather resistant and provides anticorrosive protection.

This system is made up of a primer and alkyd-type enamel, ideal for the protection of metal surfaces and industrial infrastructure, both for interiors and exteriors. Provides high anticorrosive protection, resistance to UV rays and provides extraordinary adherence to the substrate. It is recommended for non-coastal areas or where humidity conditions are not high.

2. EPOXY-POLYURETHANE SYSTEM

Designed for severe or critical environments, in which the infrastructure or equipment and/or some other protected element is exposed to UV rays and an industrial atmosphere with high contamination (highly corrosive vapors).

This system is made up of an epoxy primer and Polyurethane (finish). Coatings designed for the protection of metal surfaces exposed to highly corrosive and chemical environments. Both coatings offer high adhesion, extraordinary chemical resistance, high abrasion resistance, resistance to UV rays, and impermeability, to improve the life of any metal surface or installation and reduce maintenance costs.

Graphenergy anticorrosive coating systems have many benefits, which include:

Higher performance than existing coating technologies on the market today.

Fewer applied coating layers are required and with higher anti-corrosion protection.

Coatings with greater adherence to the substrate.

Coatings with greater chemical resistance and high thermal resistance.

Coatings with greater impermeability and non-stick effect.

When a coating system is selected, the influence of the environment to which it will be exposed and the final appearance that is sought and some other considerations that the system must perform, and its maintenance must be taken into account.

On the other hand, another decisive factor that determines the selection of the first anticorrosive to be used and consequently the coating system is the physical state of the metal surface to be coated and/or the surface treatment or preparation that can be given.

Referencias

Fengjuan Xiao, Chen Qian, et al., et al., Progress in Organic Coatings, 125, 79-88 (2018); doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2018.08.027
Karolina Ollik and Marek Lieder. Review of the application of graphene-based coatings as anticorrosion layers. Coatings 2020, 10(9), 883. 2020.
Zhang J., Kong, G., Li S., Le Y., Che C., Zhang S., Lai D., Liao X. Graphene-reinforced epoxy powder coating to achieve high performance wear and corrosion resistance. 20:1448-4160, 2020.

Nanotechnology and corrosion protection:

the era of graphene oxide

Corrosion is defined as the gradual deterioration of metallic materials and their properties, and occurs when the metal reacts with the surrounding environment to form rust or another chemical compound. In general, atmospheric air, humidity, rain, and aqueous solutions (chemical products) are the environments that are most frequently associated with corrosion problems.

Nowadays, corrosion damage is one of the most important problems to face for many industries in the world. It is estimated that corrosion causes economic losses of 3.4% of world GDP (about 2.5 billion dollars per year). However, there are three industries whose corrosion impact is more frequent and riskier for their processes: the chemical industry, the shipbuilding industry and the construction industry.

In the chemical industry, the use of chemical products is paramount within its operations, so equipment and machinery are in direct and constant contact with chemical substances, increasing maintenance and/or repair costs, affecting the industry budget and their production. In the case of the naval industry, humidity and salt are the main factors that contribute to the corrosion process and, consequently, the deterioration and affectation of its facilities, ships, containers and even merchandise. On the other hand, in the construction industry, both the machinery and the construction areas themselves can be affected by corrosion due to their exposure to the environment. Corrosion causes the metallic assets to weaken, generating mechanical failures, putting the work at risk.

Anticorrosive coatings are regularly used for protection against corrosion, humidity and fouling of installations, machinery and equipment. At a commercial level, there is a wide variety of anticorrosive coatings based on different additives and resins, their efficiency is generally associated with an increase in cost. However, the coatings still have low thermal and corrosion resistance and especially limited chemical resistance.

Graphene is currently the most revolutionary nanotechnological additive in the coatings and paints industry. The incorporation of graphene as an additive in coatings produces coatings with extraordinary protection against corrosion. Graphene creates pathways that are very tortuous, preventing water and oxygen molecules and/or chemical agents from diffusing to the surface of metal-based materials, resulting in metal protection against oxidation and corrosion. corrosion (Fig. 1).

*Figure 1. Schematic representation of the tortuous path for oxygen and water molecules in polymer coatings with clay and graphene.*

Graphene coatings provide many performance and anti-corrosion benefits, including:

Higher performance than existing coating technologies on the market today.
Fewer applied coating layers are required for greater benefits
Zinc reduction in formulations
Chemical resistance

Graphene and graphene oxide-enhanced anticorrosive coatings will replace traditional zinc-based coatings, which have several drawbacks, such as short life, high content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), slow curing, high cost, sedimentation in storage.

Currently Energeia – Graphenemex®, a leading Mexican company in Latin America in research and production of graphene materials for the development of industrial applications, through its Graphenergy line, has launched a wide range of nanotechnological coatings with graphene. These coatings offer high anticorrosive protection, extraordinary chemical resistance, high wear resistance, resistance to UV rays, impermeability and greater adherence, in order to improve the useful life of any surface or installation and reduce maintenance costs.

References

Chang, C.-H. et al. Novel Anticorrosion Coatings Prepared from Polyaniline/Graphene Composites. Carbon N. Y. 50, 5044–5051 (2012).
Fengjuan Xiao, Chen Qian, et al., et al., Progress in Organic Coatings, 125, 79-88 (2018); doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2018.08.027
Chaudhry, A. U., Mittal, V. & Mishra, B. Inhibition and Promotion of Electrochemical Reactions by Graphene in Organic Coatings. RSC Adv. 5, 80365–80368 (2015).
Zhen, Z. & Zhu, H. Graphene: Fabrication, Characterizations, Properties and Applications. Graphene (Academic Press, 2018).