Publication: Enhancement of self-healing, corrosion resistance, and hydrophobicity for polyurethane coatings on mild steel
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Date
2025-08-07
Authors
Lee, Wei Ye
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Abstract
This research aims to enhance the self-healing, corrosion resistance, and hydrophobicity of polyurethane (PU) coatings on mild steel through the incorporation of 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide (HEDS) and nanoparticles. The research is divided into two parts which in Part 1, PU coatings with varying HEDS contents were evaluated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle (WCA) measurement, Shore A hardness testing, and self-healing crosshatch test. From the results, HEDS concentration of 9 wt.% was selected as optimal which exhibiting the highest WCA (97.33°) and self-healing ability, but lowest coating hardness (86.1). FTIR results showed new peaks, indicating chemical interaction between HEDS and the PU matrix. In Part 2, PU coatings with 9 wt.% HEDS and varying nanoparticle loadings (SiO2:CeO2 = 1:4) were studied. The 0.40 wt.% sample showed the highest Shore A hardness (96.4), lowest corrosion rate, and slight self-healing, with SEM confirming uniform dispersion. Higher loadings improved Ecorr and icorr but reduced WCA and hardness due to agglomeration at 0.85 wt.%. Thus, 0.40 wt.% was selected as the optimum nanoparticle loading, offering the best balance of mechanical, protective, and functional properties. This research demonstrates the role of self-healing agent, HEDS and nanoparticles in developing multifunctional PU coatings for enhanced mild steel protection in atmospheric environments.