ZnO-Doped gC<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>Nanocapsules for Enhancing the Performance of Electroless NiP Coating─Mechanical, Corrosion Protection, and Antibacterial Properties
Fatma Nabhan, Eman M. Fayyad, Mostafa H. Sliem, Farah M. Shurrab, Kamel Eid, Gheyath K. Nasrallah, Aboubakr M. Abdullah
Abstract
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide A carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) nanomaterial has superior mechanical, thermal, and tribological properties, which make them attractive for various applications, including corrosion-resistant coatings. In this research, newly synthesized C 3 N 4 nanocapsules with different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt %) of ZnO as a dopant were incorporated into the NiP coating using an electroless deposition technique. The nanocomposite coatings either ZnO-doped (NiP-C 3 N 4 /ZnO) or undoped (NiP-C 3 N 4 ) were heat-treated at 400 °C for 1 h. The as-plated and heat-treated (HT) nanocomposite coatings were characterized by their morphology, phases, roughness, wettability, hardness, corrosion protection, and antibacterial properties. The results indicated that the microhardness of as-plated and heat-treated nanocomposite coatings was significantly improved after the incorporation of 0.5 wt % ZnO-doped C 3 N 4 nanocapsules. The outcomes of electrochemical studies revealed that the corrosion resistance of the HT coatings is higher than the corresponding as-plated ones. The highest corrosion resistance is achieved on the heat-treated NiP-C 3 N 4 /1.0 wt % ZnO coatings. Although the presence of ZnO in the C 3 N 4 nanocapsules increased its surface area and porosity, the C 3 N 4 /ZnO nanocapsules prevented localized corrosion by filling the microdefects and pores of the NiP matrix. Furthermore, the colony-counting method used to evaluate the antibacterial behavior of the different coatings demonstrated superior antibacterial properties, namely, after heat treatment. Therefore, the novel perspective C 3 N 4 /ZnO nanocapsules can be utilized as a reinforcement nanomaterial in improving the mechanical and anticorrosion performance of NiP coatings in chloride media, together with providing superior antibacterial properties.