Stimuli-responsive polymers with labile linkages for anticorrosion coatings

Abstract

The corrosion of metals is associated with changes of electrochemical potential, of local pH values near the surface of the metal, and an increase of metal cation concentration. Therefore, coatings for metals were designed to induce a repair of electrochemical or mechanical damage in response to these stimuli. Corrosion inhibitors, which are molecules that can adsorb on metals surface to form a barrier for corrosive species, can be conjugated to polymers via labile linkages. The polymers can be processed as coatings or be incorporated in more conventional coatings as filler or additives. Upon corrosion, the inhibitors are released selectively from the polymers, leading to a significant decrease of corrosion rate.