Investigation of corrosion behavior of aluminum flakes coated by polymeric nanolayer: Effect of polymer type

• Protection of aluminum pigments from corrosion phenomenon by an encapsulating polystyrene and poly(acrylic acid) nanolayers.
• Chemical stability of the aluminum pigments in alkaline and acidic aqueous media was examined.
• Polystyrene coating remarkably improved flakes’ anticorrosion property while PAA evolved hydrogen.

Protection of aluminum pigments from corrosion phenomenon has been extended by an encapsulating polystyrene (PS) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) nanolayers. Flakes were first coupled with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and in situ polymerizations of styrene and acrylic acid, initiating with Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) were performed. The encapsulated flakes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Also, polymer chains were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Subsequently the chemical stability of the pigments in alkaline and acidic aqueous media was examined. Results indicated that polystyrene coating remarkably improved flakes’ anticorrosion property while PAA evolved hydrogen.