Three birds with one stone: multi-functional interface strengthening to construct self-warning smart coatings with integrated corrosion and fouling resistance
Ziheng Bai, Haodong Hu, Zexi Shao, Jiapeng Deng, Bin Liang, Huaiyuan Wang
Abstract
Interface defects can significantly diminish the protective performance of a system. Specifically, coating aging is accelerated markedly by UV radiation, high temperature, high humidity, and microbial attack. To address these issues, this study develops a functional integrated intelligent coating with anti-corrosion and anti-fouling capabilities (SCC/ZPhP) via interfacial reinforcement and multi-component composite engineering. In this system, sericite (SC) acts as both a barrier and a loading platform, aiming to enhance the coating’s barrier performance while mitigating particle aggregation. Furthermore, constructing a Ce/Zn heterostructure (C/Z) reduces the composite’s band gap (Eg), which effectively promotes charge separation and improves photocatalytic and photocathodic protection properties. 1,10-Phenanthroline encapsulated in polyacrylic acid (PhP) exhibits pH-responsive behavior, enabling on-demand release of the active component. The resulting red coloration facilitates visual identification of corrosion areas and supports self-healing protective effects. Compared to epoxy coatings (EP), the SCC/ZPhP coating demonstrates better weathering and anti-aging performance, maintaining impedance modulus of 101⁰ Ω·cm2 and 1011 Ω·cm2 after the exposure period. Moreover, the incorporation of active factors endows the coating with excellent anti-fouling capabilities, achieving an antimicrobial rate of up to 98%. This effectively inhibits the adhesion and accumulation of marine organisms, thereby significantly reducing the risk of structural damage. Therefore, this study proposes a novel design strategy for developing multifunctional intelligent protective coatings with anti-corrosion and anti-fouling functionalities. Such coatings offer promising potential to extend the service life and enhance the structural stability of offshore engineering systems.