PANi/ZrO₂-composite coating for corrosion protection in 3.5 M NaCl solution

This study was designed to investigate PANi/ZrO₂, as an anti-corrosion coating material. An extraction of Zirconia (ZrO₂,) from natural zircon sand of Kereng Pangi has been conducted by means hydrothermal process and alkali fusion. In this composite system consist of Polyaniline (PANi) as a matrix and ZrO₂, as a filler material for an anti-corrosion coating. PANi/ZrO₂, composites were synthesized by an in-situ polymerization method. The structure of synthesized ZrO₂, was characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The samples for corrosion testing were original steel (SS), paint coated steel (PS), paint/ZrO₂, coated steel (ZS), paint/PANi/ZrO₂, coated steel (PZ) with dimensions of 2 cm x 2 cm. Corrosion rate was tested in 3.5M NaCl using polarization method. XRD result showed that the structure of obtained ZrO₂, was amorphous. The corrosion rates for the four samples SS, PS, ZS, and PZ were 2,36×10^-2, 1,3×10^-5 1,35×10^-7, and 5,97×10^-7mpy, respectively. The result of corrosion rate showed that the lowest corrosion rate was steel coated with ZrO₂, (ZS). It was 1,35 × 10^-7mpy. The result indicated that the zirconia coating is a prospective material for anti-corrosion.