Modeling dissolution controlled release of inhibitor from a damaged coating

A theoretical model is proposed to explain the diversity of time profiles of the release of inhibitor to a scratch in a damaged protective coating. The model involves diffusion of an inhibitor and inhibitor release-triggering species and dissolution of inhibitor. The total mass MI of inhibitor released to a scratch was approximated with a power function of time t: MI ∼ tα. The numerical simulations showed that, through variations in the properties of either the matrix or the inhibitor, primarily dissolution rate, α could be tuned to any value in the range from 0.5 to 1.5.