Kaolin- and Elastic Adhesive-Reinforced Epoxy Superhydrophobic Anticorrosion Coating for Durable Steel Protection
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Epoxy coatings are widely used to protect metals against corrosion. However, their hydrophilic surfaces and limited mechanical durability can accelerate coating degradation in abrasive and corrosive environments. Here, a superhydrophobic anticorrosion coating was constructed on Q235 steel by integrating a kaolin-reinforced epoxy primer, an elastic adhesive interlayer, and a hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticle top layer. The EP-K/SiO2 coating exhibited a water contact angle (CA) of 157.8° and a sliding angle of 2.1°, indicating the formation of a low-adhesion superhydrophobic surface. The kaolin-filled epoxy underlayer improved the mechanical robustness and barrier performance of the coating. After 19 m of abrasion or 200 cycles of tape peeling, the coating still maintained its superhydrophobic property. The electrochemical analysis in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution revealed that the corrosion current density of the EP-K/SiO2 coating reduced to 7.9 × 10−12 A·cm−2. After immersion for 15 d, the corrosion protection efficiency was still maintained at about 99.33%. During the salt spray test, solution immersion, outdoor exposure, ultraviolet aging, antifouling and self-cleaning tests, the coating preserved its structural integrity and water-repellent property. This triple-layer structure provides a feasible method to produce robust superhydrophobic epoxy coatings for corrosion protection of steel substrates.
Source: Coatings
Language: English
Subfield: Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W7225816499