EAGER: Corrosion Protection of Metals Using Nanoporous Oxide Thin-Films: An Environmentally Friendly Game-Changing Technology

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

This EAGER project will establish basic knowledge to demonstrate the counter-intuitive notion that certain porous coatings are capable of deterring corrosion. This study will be based on electrochemistry and surface characterization of coated and uncoated metals subject to corrosive environments. The Environmental Chemistry & Technology (EC&T) program team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will work to establish the links between the type of oxide used in making the coatings, the physical properties of the resulting porous film, and the required corrosion deterring properties. The traditional approach to anti-corrosion focuses on fully covering the surface with a thick layer to avoid the penetration of an electrolyte. This project has the potential to elucidate the role of nanopores on diffusion and reaction and thus to develop understanding of the role of nano-porosity in preventing corrosion. The broader impacts of the project are that it may open up opportunities for new research in the field. Corrosion is a worldwide drain on resources, costing about 3-4% of the economic output of industrialized countries. The nature of this project conveys broad impacts from technological and environmental points of view. These coatings are made from sol-gel chemistries, which are water-based and do not require organic solvents. Since the final products are metal oxides, the coatings are practically inert from a food safety point of view, in addition to having lower VOC emissions than those derived from the application of organic anti-corrosion coatings in a variety of other contexts. Therefore, these coatings may become an environmentally friendly alternative for coating cans and other food-related products and also may have the potential to provide solutions to corrosion problems in a multiplicity of other settings.