2D hexagonal boron nitride-based anticorrosion coatings

Abstract The corrosion of metallic surfaces poses significant challenges across industries such as petroleum, energy, and biomedical sectors, leading to structural degradation, safety risks, and substantial maintenance costs. Traditional organic and metallic coatings provide some protection, but their limited durability and susceptibility to harsh environmental conditions necessitate the development of more advanced and efficient solutions. This has driven significant interest in two-dimensional materials, with graphene being extensively studied for its exceptional mechanical strength and impermeability to gases and ions. However, while graphene offers short-term corrosion protection, its high electrical conductivity presents a long-term issue by promoting galvanic corrosion on metal surfaces. In contrast, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has emerged as a promising alternative for anticorrosion coatings. h-BN combines exceptional chemical stability, impermeability, and electrical insulation, making it particularly suited for long-term protection in highly corrosive or high-temperature environments. While h-BN holds promise as anticorrosion material, challenges such as structural defects, agglomeration of nanosheets, and poor dispersion within coatings limit its performance. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in addressing these challenges, including novel functionalization strategies, scalable synthesis methods, and hybrid systems that integrate h-BN with complementary materials. By bridging the gap between fundamental research and industrial applications, this review outlines the potential for h-BN to revolutionize anticorrosion technologies. These obstacles necessitate advanced strategies such as surface functionalization to improve compatibility with polymer matrices and dispersion optimization to minimize agglomeration. Recent advancements highlight the incorporation of h-BN into composite materials, which have shown significant advances in durability, adhesion, and overall performance. Future directions for h-BN research emphasize scalable fabrication techniques to produce large-area, defect-free coatings suitable for industrial deployment. Furthermore, hybrid systems that integrate h-BN with complementary materials are proposed to enhance corrosion resistance and address specific environmental and operational demands. These approaches hold the potential to establish h-BN as a transformative material for next-generation anticorrosion technologies.