Synthesis, characterization and investigation corrosion properties of polymeric coatings contain clay nanoparticles

In this article, First the quaternary alkyl phosphonium and alkyl ammonium salt wereboth used as the intercalating agents separately for the preparation of organophilic clay throughthe cationic exchange reactions with Na+-montmorillonite clay. Subsequently, the organophilicclay was blent into the epoxy resin through in-situ thermal ring-opening polymerizations toprepare a series of polymer-clay nanocomposite (PCN) materials. The as-synthesized PCNmaterials were subsequently characterized by wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction (WXRD),and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).It should be noted that the quaternary alkyl phosphonium salt (Φ(3)P(+) —C(12) ) -modified clay wasfound to show better dispersion capability than that of quaternary alkyl ammonium salt (Me3N(+)-C16)-modified clay existed in the polymer matrix based on the studies of WXRD and TEM. Thebetter dispersion of (Φ(3)P(+)—C(12) ) -modified clay in epoxy resin was found to lead moreeffectively enhanced physical property such as corrosion protection, gas barrier, mechanicalstrength, thermal stability, and flame retardant properties of polymers than that of (Me(3)N(+)-C16)-modified clay, in the form of coating and membrane, based on the measurements of a series ofelectrochemical corrosion parameters, gas permeability analysis (GPA), respectively. Effect ofmaterial composition on the physical properties of as-prepared materials was also investigated.

Keywords:

clay , layered silicate , corrosion , polymeric coatings , nanocomposites