1 research outputs found
Mussel-Inspired Self-Healing Coatings Based on Polydopamine-Coated Nanocontainers for Corrosion Protection
The mussel-inspired
properties of dopamine have attracted immense scientific interest
for surface modification of nanoparticles due to the high potential
of dopamine functional groups to increase the adhesion of nanoparticles
to flat surfaces. Here, we report for the first time a novel type
of inhibitor-loaded nanocontainer using polydopamine (PDA) as a pH-sensitive
gatekeeper for mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). The encapsulated
inhibitor (benzotriazole) was loaded into MSNs at neutral pH, demonstrating
fast release in an acidic environment. The self-healing effect of
water-borne alkyd coatings doped with nanocontainers was achieved
by both on-demand release of benzotriazole during the corrosion process
and formation of the complexes between the dopamine functional groups
and iron oxides, thus providing dual self-healing protection for the
mild steel substrate. The coatings were characterized by electrochemical
impedance spectroscopy, visual observations, and confocal Raman microscopy.
In all cases, the coatings with embedded benzotriazole-loaded MSNs
with PDA-decorated outer surfaces demonstrated superior self-healing
effects on the damaged areas. We anticipate that dopamine-based multifunctional
gatekeepers can find application potential not only in intelligent
self-healing anticorrosive coatings but also in drug delivery, antimicrobial
protection, and other fields