Elsa Vaz Pereira

Anodizing is commonly used for corrosion protection of aluminum and its alloys in the construction industry. The anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) coating has a high ability to prevent the development of extensive pitting corrosion in aluminum substrates, particularly in marine sites, as was observed during a 10-year atmospheric corrosion study carried out in several marine and industrial sites. However, this study also evidenced that this coating can be highly affected by the deposition of particulate material in industrial polluted environments, sometimes in unexpected ways. This study presents information on the atmospheric corrosion of anodized aluminum exposed at two different chemical industrial complexes: a fertilizer production plant and a pulp and paper mill. Visual assessment of surface changes, pitting depth and mass variation with exposure were determined to quantify the degradation suffered. Additionally, SEM/EDS analyses were carried out on the exposed surfaces. Based on the results obtained, the role played by the deposition of airborne particles present in the two environments with respect to the type and level of damage observed is discussed. Deposits of roasted pyrite ash and phosphates or of wood chips and lime particles enhanced pitting corrosion or caused dissolution of the AAO coating.

Hybrid sol-gel coatings, named U(X):TEOS, based on ureasilicate matrices (U(X)) enriched with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), were synthesized. The influence of TEOS addition was studied on both the structure of the hybrid sol-gel films as well as on the electrochemical properties. The effect of TEOS on the structure of the hybrid sol-gel films was investigated by solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The dielectric properties of the different materials were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The corrosion behavior of the hybrid coatings on HDGS was studied in chloride-contaminated simulated concrete pore solutions (SCPS) by polarization resistance measurements. The roughness of the HDGS coated with hybrids was also characterized by atomic force microscopy. The structural characterization of the hybrid materials proved the effective reaction between Jeffamine^® and 3-isocyanate propyltriethoxysilane (ICPTES) and indicated that the addition of TEOS does not seem to affect the organic structure or to increase the degree of condensation of the hybrid materials. Despite the apparent lack of influence on the hybrids architecture, the polarization resistance measurements confirmed that TEOS addition improves the corrosion resistance of the hybrid coatings (U(X):TEOS) in chloride-contaminated SCPS when compared to samples prepared without any TEOS (U(X)). This behavior could be related to the decrease in roughness of the hybrid coatings (due TEOS addition) and to the different metal coating interaction resulting from the increase of the inorganic component in the hybrid matrix.

Corrosion degradation of materials and metallic structures is one of the major issues that give rise to depreciation of assets, causing great financial outlays in their recovery and or prevention. Therefore, the development of active corrosion protection systems for metallic substrates is an issue of prime importance. The promising properties and wide application range of hybrid sol-gel-derived polymers have attracted significant attention over recent decades. The combination of organic polymers and inorganic materials in a single phase provides exceptional possibilities to tailor electrical, optical, anticorrosive, and mechanical properties for diverse applications. This unlimited design concept has led to the development of hybrid coatings for several applications, such as transparent plastics, glasses, and metals to prevent these substrates from permeation, mechanical abrasion, and corrosion, or even for decorative functions. Nevertheless, the development of new hybrid products requires a basic understanding of the fundamental chemistry, as well as of the parameters that influence the processing techniques, which will briefly be discussed. Additionally, this review will also summarize and discuss the most promising sol-gel coatings for corrosion protection of steel, aluminium, and their alloys conducted at an academic level.

Organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH) sol-gel coatings based on ureasilicates (U(X)) have promising properties for use as eco-friendly coatings on hot dip galvanized steel (HDGS) and may be considered potential substitutes for pre-treatment systems containing Cr(VI). These OIH coatings reduce corrosion activity during the initial stages of contact of the HDGS samples with highly alkaline environments (cementitious media) and allow the mitigation of harmful effects of an initial excessive reaction between cement pastes and the zinc layer. However, the behavior of HDGS coated with U(X) in the presence of chloride ions has never been reported. In this paper, the performance of HDGS coated with five different U(X) coatings was assessed by electrochemical measurements in chloride-contaminated simulated concrete pore solution (SCPS). U(X) sol-gel coatings were produced and deposited on HDGS by a dip coating method. The coatings performance was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization curves measurements, macrocell current density and polarization resistance in contact with chloride-contaminated SCPS. The SEM/EDS analyses of the coatings before and after the tests were also performed. The results showed that the HDGS samples coated with the OIH coatings exhibited enhanced corrosion resistance to chloride ions when compared to uncoated galvanized steel.

Previous studies have shown that the barrier effect and the performance of organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH) sol-gel coatings are highly dependent on the coating deposition method as well as on the processing conditions. However, studies on how the coating deposition method influences the barrier properties in alkaline environments are scarce. The aim of this experimental research was to study the influence of experimental parameters using the dip-coating method on the barrier performance of an OIH sol-gel coating in contact with simulated concrete pore solutions (SCPS). The influence of residence time (Rt), a curing step between each dip step and the number of layers of sol-gel OIH films deposited on hot-dip galvanized steel to prevent corrosion in highly alkaline environments was studied. The barrier performance of these OIH sol-gel coatings, named U(400), was assessed in the first instants of contact with SCPS, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic methods. The durability and stability of the OIH coatings in SCPS was monitored during eight days by macrocell current density. The morphological characterization of the surface was performed by Scanning Electronic Microscopy before and after exposure to SCPS. Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy was used to investigate the thickness of the U(400) sol-gel coatings as a function of the number of layers deposited with and without Rt in the coatings thickness.

On site measurement of durability parameters with permanent monitoring systems has been recognised as an important source of information for the development of reliable models to predict the lifetime of reinforced concrete structures. In this study, four electrochemical techniques were applied to determine the polarisation resistance (Rp) of steel embedded in mortar to select the best technique to be used in the development of embedded sensors for corrosion rate monitoring. It could be concluded that, if an adequate time scale to perform each measurement is used, all the techniques lead to the sameRp value within a known experimental error. However, the potentiostatic pulse technique presents some advantages to be used in the development of embedded sensors because it is fast, does not require sophisticated equipment or data analysis, and allows the simultaneous evaluation of theRp and electrical resistance between the rebar and the reference electrode.