International Journal of Materials Engineering 2012; 2(2): 11-14

DOI: 10.5923/ij.me.20120303.01

Computational Simulation and Testing of Nano Particle

Coating in Material Anti-Corrosion

Jeremy (Zheng) Li

University of Bridgeport, USA

Abstract The corrosion speed of metal materials varies based on weathering conditions, such as air quality, temperature, moisture, and some other factors of environment. To reduce the corrosion rates, different surface coating technologies have

been applied to improve material anti-corrosion performance. In regular coatings, the adhesive bond is relatively weak that

leads the delamination in coating layer and decrease in coating effective life. This paper studies the mechanism of an-

ti-corrosion in nanocoating process through computational simulation and sample experiment. Both computational modeling

and testing results indicate that the materials with nanocoating are being well protected with longer coated surface life and

more durable anti-corrosion performance if compared to the regular coatings.

Keywords Anti-corrosion, nanotechnology, computational simulation, effective material life, nanocoating

1. Introduction

Products of metal materials are normally subjected to the

corrosion attack in bad weather conditions and corrosion

speed will be increased if metals are exposed to more wet

atmospheric conditions [1]. Under non-wet environmental

condition, the oxide film is developed which can protect

underneath substrate. In wet conditions, such as raining

weather, the corrosion rate of metal products is accelerated

up to the rate of under water products [2]. The wet atmos-

phere can produce the electrolytic droplets with anode in the

centre and ferrous hydroxide is formed to enclose the droplet

which can keep metal products from quick corrosion [3].

Some anti- corrosion surface coatings can decrease the metal

corrosion by sacrificing the coating material elements. In this

case, the coating elements with high electrochemical (cor-

rosive) potential act as the anode to metal materials to further

protect metal products from corrosion [4, 5].

Normally, the molecular bond in conventional surface

coatings are relatively weak and coating life cycle is not very

long in severe weathering condition [6]. The nanocoating

technology has been developed to improve anti-corrosion of

surface coating because of its superior function in an-

ti-corrosion, reliable performance in corrosion resistance,

and non-risk of pollution to environment.

2. Sample Testing

* Corresponding author:

zhengli@bridgeport.edu (Jeremy (Zheng) Li)

Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/ijme

Copyright 2012 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved

The selected samples have been tested per following

conditions:

. Temperature: 120

. Relative humidity: 92%

. The salt spray

The electrochemical potential is measured by potentiostat

on tested material samples.

Table 1 Experimental results of current density vs. corrosion potential

Potential (V)

Nanocoating

Current Density

(Acm-2)

Conventional Coating

Current Density

(Acm-2)

-1.06 8.08 25.38

-1.04 16.88 45.85

-1.02 28.55 78.82

-1.00 48.35 138.88

-0.98 66.42 215.35

-0.96 92.55 342.88

-0.94 142.38 408.35

-0.92 175.68 512.45

-0.90 185.56 595.38

-0.88 201.36 654.96

Table 2 Experimental corrosion speed vs. percentage of coating film

Percent of

Materials in

Coating Film (%)

Nanocoating

Sample Material

Removal (mg)

Conventional Coating

Sample Material

Removal (mg)

1 20.25 212.38

2 21.35 209.88

3 23.56 205.45

4 26.78 212.55

5 28.38 215.38

6 26.58 217.66

7 25.35 211.55

Table 1 displays the current density vs. electrochemical

potential in nano and conventional coatings. Since the cur-

rent density in conventional coatings is larger than in nano-

coating, the conventional coatings have lower performance

than nanocoating in anti-corrosion performance. Table 2

indicates the coating material removal vs. percentage of

materials in coating film. It also confirms that the material

removal in conventional coating is larger than in nanocoating

due to superior corrosion-resistant function in nanocoating.

These sample tests show that the nano surface coating has

much better performance than conventional coating in an-

ti-corrosion. The major reason is that the nanocoating can

permeate through the material surface and evolve into sub-

strate material through chemical bonding process. The ex-

periment shows superior and durable anti-corrosion function

in nanocoated materials.

3. Computational Simulation

To compare with prototyped sample testing, the compu-

tational simulation has been performed based on the testing

conditions defined in the section of sample tests.

Fig. 1 shows the weight change of metal sample under

conditions of 120 and 92% RH.

Fig. 1 Electrochemical current density vs. electrochemical potential

Fig. 2 displays the material removal with different percent

of materials in coating film.

Fig. 2 Material removal vs. percent of coating material in coating film

The computer-aided modeling shows the higher an-

ti-corrosion performance in nanocoating due to lower current

density displayed in Fig. 1 and less coated material removal

depicted in Fig. 2. Comparing with conventional coating, the

nanocoating has stronger molecular bond with much less

coating delamination. Both computational simulation and

sample testing show the close results that verifies the credi-

bility and feasibility of this nano coating research and ana-

lytic methodology.

4. Conclusions

This paper studies and analyses the nanocoating on metal

material products through computational simulation and

sample testing. Both results show that the nano coating has

much better surface corrosion-resistant function, superior

anti-rust performance, longer service life cycle, and no risk

of pollution to the environment. Further analysis and testing

will be performed to get more understanding of an-

ti-corrosion mechanism in nanocoating performance.

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