Durable Hydrophobic Coating Based on Cerium Phosphate Nanorod-Siliconized Epoxy for Corrosion Protection

Here, we present a new eco-friendly cerium phosphate (CP) nanorod system that can be utilized as an anticorrosive pigment to protect steel from corrosive environment. Among the various formulations studied, CP nanorod (10 wt %) loaded epoxy exhibited the best corrosion resistance efficiency. The anticorrosion property of the coating was further improved by the introduction of hydrophobicity through siliconization process. This enhanced the average surface roughness (Ra = 0.4–11 nm) and consequently generated hydrophobic contact angle of 121°. A 3-fold increase of the corrosion resistance of epoxy is attributed to the synergistic effect of the hydrophobic surface and nanorod morphology. The durability of the coating was also studied by an electrochemical method for the duration of two months. The enhanced corrosion inhibition efficiency and durability of the developed coating can be of significant importance for industrial applications.