Bioinspired Smart Anticorrosive Coatings with an Emergency-Response Closing Function

Emergency-response closing (ERC) of diffusion pathways for aggressive species in graphene/epoxy (G/EP) coatings was achieved via terpyridine derivative (TDD)-functionalized graphene oxide (tGO). Under stimulation from corrosion produced ferrous (Fe2+) ions, tGO sheets urgently aggregated through complexation reminiscent of leaves closing on a mimosa. Consequently, the coating showed significantly decreased oxygen (ORT) and water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) changes after immersion in ferrous solution. According to the simulation and electrochemical results, tGO sheets could self-assemble into 3D architectures with Fe2+ ions and efficiently protect metals from aggressive species attack. This tGO/EP coating provided an ERC function via self-adaptability with the Fe2+ ions to achieve long-term anticorrosion. The application of tGO/EP to the protection of metal components is therefore validated as a fascinating route for the enhancement of anticorrosion efficiency on graphene anticorrosive coatings, with great potential in durable anticorrosive coatings application.