Protective properties of epoxy coating mechanochemically modified with montmorillonite on the D16T aluminium alloy in an acid rain environment

Keywords

anticorrosive pigment, natural montmorillonite mineral, epoxy coating, corrosion inhibition, aluminium alloy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Cite as

Danyliak M.-O. M. Protective properties of epoxy coating mechanochemically modified with montmorillonite on the D16T aluminium alloy in an acid rain environment. Physicochemical Mechanics of Materials. 2026. 62(3), 31-38.

Abstract

An eco-friendly anti-corrosion pigment for protective coatings was obtained by mechanochemical modification of natural montmorillonite with zinc monophosphate. The intercalation of zinc cations (~5 wt%) and phosphate anions (~4 wt%) in montmorillonite structure was confirmed by EDX analysis. It was established that the modification contributes to partial amorphization of the structure and an increase in the interplanar distance from 1.54 to 1.58 nm. According to the results of potentiodynamic studies, it was established that the inhibitory efficiency of the obtained pigment on the aluminium alloy in an acid rain environment exceeded 95%. It was shown by the electrochemical impedance spect­roscopy method that the introduction of 20 wt% of the obtained modified montmorillonite into the epoxy coating on the alloy increased its protective properties by more than 2 orders of magnitude. The protective effect occurred due to the gradual release of active ions and the formation of layers of zinc hydroxide and aluminium phosphate on the alloy surface. The use of the mechanochemical modification allows the inhibitors to be encapsulated in the montmorillonite structure, which guarantees their long-term protective effect in polymer coatings on aluminium alloys due to the gradual release effect.

References

1. S. S. Li, X. Yue, Q. Y. Li, H. L. Peng, B. X. Dong, T. S. Liu, H.-Y. Yang, J. Fan, Sh.-L. Shu, F. Qiu, and Q. C. Jiang, “Development and applications of aluminum alloys for aerospace industry,” J. of Mater. Res. and Technol., 27, 944-983 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.09.274
2. A. M. Glenn, T. H. Muster, C. Luo, X. Zhou, G. E. Thompson, A. Boag, and A. E. Hughes, “Corrosion of AA2024-T3. Part III: Propagation,” Corr. Sci., 53, 40-50 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2010.09.035
3. Z. Liu, P. H. Chong, A. N. Butt, P. Skeldon, and G. E. Thompson, “Corrosion mechanism of laser-melted AA 2014 and AA 2024 alloys,” Appl. Surf. Sci., 247, Iss. 1-4, 294-299 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2005.01.067
4. P. Campestrini, E. P. M. van Westing, H. W. van Rooijen, and J. H. W. de Wit, “Relation between microstructural aspects of AA2024 and its corrosion behaviour investigated using AFM scanning potential technique,” Corr. Sci., 42, Is. 11, 1853-1861 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-938X(00)00002-0
5. E.S. Koçyiğit, “Critical factors for effective anticorrosion coatings,” Aspects in Mining & Mineral Sci., 13(3), 1587-1592 (2025). https://doi.org/10.31031/AMMS.2025.13.000811
6. P. A. Sørensen, S. Kiil, K. Dam-Johansen, and C. E. Weinell, “Anticorrosive coatings: a review,” J. Coat. Technol. Res., 6, 135-176 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11998-008-9144-2
7. J. Vander Kloet, W. Schmidt, A. W. Hassel, and M. Stratmann, “The role of chromate in filiform corrosion inhibition,” Electrochim. Acta, 48, 1211-1222 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-4686(02)00829-0
8. Yongsheng Hao, Fuchun Liu, En-Hou Han, Saima Anjum, and Guobao Xu, “The mechanism of inhibition by zinc phosphate in an epoxy coating,” Corr. Sci., 69, 77-86 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2012.11.025
9. S. Roselli, N. Bellotti, C. Deyá, M. Revuelta, B. del Amo, and R. Romagnoli, “Lanthanum-exchanged zeolite and clay as anticorrosive pigments for galvanized steel,” J. of Rare Earths, 32, Is. 4, 352-359 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0721(14)60078-8
10. I. Kovalchuk, O. Zakutevskyy, V. Sydorchuk, O. Diyuk, and A. Lakhnik, “The effect of high-energy ball milling of montmorillonite for adsorptive removal of cesium, strontium, and uranium ions from aqueous solution,” Eng., 4(4), 2812-2825 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/eng4040158
11. W. W. Diab, Y. K. Abdel-Monem, N. Abdel Ghany, A. M. Labeeb, H. Emira, and Y. M. Abu-ayana, “Development of active modified kaolin as anticorrosive fillers,” Egyptian J. of Chemistry, 68(13), 399-416 (2025).
12. O.P. Khlopyk, I.M. Zin, B.M. Datsko, L.M. Bilyi, Z.A. Duriagina, and S.A. Korniy, “Anticorrosion properties of composite inhibiting pigment based on natural calcium silicate and zinc monophosphate,” Mater. Sci., 59, Is. 2, 234-241 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-024-00768-9
13. N. Kalaivasan, and S.S. Shafi, “Enhancement of corrosion protection effect in mechanochemically synthesized Polyaniline/MMT clay nanocomposites,” Arabian J. of Chemistry, 10, S127-S133 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arabjc.2012.06.018
14. S.A. Korniy, I.M. Zin, M.-O.M. Danyliak, O.P. Khlopyk, and M. Datsko, “Corrosion inhibition of low-alloy steel by a composite pigment based on zeolite and monocalcium phosphate,” Mater. Sci., 58, Is. 2, 261-267 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-022-00658-y
15. A.C. Lima, L.M. Jou, O.E. Barcia, and I.C.P. Margarit-Mattos, “Montmorillonite as corrosion protective pigment,” Corr. Sci., 141, 182-194 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2018.07.008
16. V. Kochubei, Ya. Yaremchuk, M. Malovanyy, S. Yaholnyk, and A. Slyuzar, “Perspectives of treatment of water environments from pollutants with ultrasound-activated bentonites,” Chem. Chem. Technol., 17, Is. 4, 870-877 (2023). https://doi.org/10.23939/chcht17.04.870
17. I.M. Zin, and O.P. Khlopyk, “Repassivation of aluminum in the presence of phosphate and nitrate inhibitors in corrosive media,” Mater. Sci., 50, Is. 5, 676-681 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-015-9771-6 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-015-9771-6
18. S.K. Shukla, M.A. Quraishi, and E.E. Ebenso, “Adsorption and corrosion inhibition properties of cefadroxil on mild steel in hydrochloric acid,” Int. J. of Electrochem. Sci., 6, 2912-2931 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1452-3981(23)18228-9
19. V.A. Baki, X. Ke, A. Heath, J. Calabria-Holley, C. Terzi, and M. Sirin, “The impact of mechanochemical activation on the phyicochemical properties and pozzolanic reactivity of kaolinite, muscovite and montmorillonite,” Cem. Concr. Res., 162 (2022). Art. no. 106962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106962
20. S. Korniy, M.-O. Danyliak, and S. Lavrys, “Preparation and properties of modified montmorillonite by zinc-phosphate for anticorrosion applications in protective coatings,” Materials Chem. and Phys., 335 (2025). Art. no. 130537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2025.130537
21. S. Korniy, I. Zin, M. O. Danyliak, O. Khlopyk, B. Datsko, and M. Holovchuk, “Aluminium alloy corrosion inhibition by composite pigment based on nanoporous synthetic zeolite and zinc dihydrogen phosphate,” Appl. Nanosci., 13, Is. 4, 7257-7266 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13204-023-02888-1
22. Yu. Chen, W. Bai, J. Chen, X. Chen, J. Zhao, F. Wei, R. Jian, X. Zheng, and Ya. Xu, “In-situ intercalation of montmorillonite/urushiol titanium polymer nanocomposite for anti-corrosion and anti-aging of epoxy coatings,” Prog. Org. Coat., 165 (2022). Art. no. 106738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2022.106738
23. R.R. Henriques, J.C. Carelo, and B.G. Soares, “Anti-corrosive and self-healing properties of epoxy coatings loaded with montmorillonite modified with zinc-based ionic liquid,” Prog. Org. Coat., 187 (2024). Art. no. 108185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2023.10818