Polyaniline-cerium oxide (PAni-CeO2) coated graphene oxide for enhancement of epoxy coating corrosion protection performance on mild steel

In this study the polyaniline (PAni) nanofibers-CeO2 grafted graphene oxide nanosheets were synthesized through a Layer-by-Layer (L-b-L) assembly approach and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis spectroscopy, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The GO-PAni-CeO2 nanosheets were incorporated into the epoxy matrix, applied on mild steel, immersed in chloride solution (3.5 wt.%), and characterized by salt spray and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results revealed that both barrier and active corrosion inhibition properties of GO nanosheets were enhanced by deposition of PAni and CeO2 compounds.