Preparation and wear-corrosion resistance of iron sodium titanate whisker/FEVE composite coatings

The work aims to reinforce wear-corrosion resistance of fluorocarbon coating. Iron sodium titanate whisk-ers/composite coatings were prepared by modifying the whiskers with KH550 and then distributing them in fluorocarbon resin (FEVE). Changes of the whiskers before and after modification as well as their dispersibility in resin were analyzed in such characterization methods as FTIR, contact angle, optical microscope, metallographic microscope and SEM. Electrochemical corrosion behavior of the coatings in simulated seawater was studied with AC impedance spectroscopy, and tribological properties were investigated with friction and wear tester. Contact angle of the modified whiskers increased from 14.5° to 111°, the modified whiskers exhibited excellent hydrophobicity and could be evenly dispersed in FEVE. As the content of whiskers increased, protective properties of the coatings first increased and then decreased. Electrochemical impedance of the composite coatings reached 1011 Ω·cm2 when mass fraction of the whiskers was 10%, which was superior to that of pure FEVE coating, and the composite coatings exhibited excellent corrosion resistance. Excessively high content of whiskers led to formation of cross-linking structure and decline of corrosion resistance. Meanwhile, addition of the whiskers also improved wear resistance of the FEVE coatings. When mass fraction of the whiskers was 5%, the composite coatings exhibited the optimal tribological properties, volume abrasion loss of the composite coatings was reduced to 0.0164 mm3, which was 11.2 times higher than that of pure FEVE coatings. The iron sodium titanate whiskers/FEVE coatings have excellent wear-corrosion resistance which contributes to effective reduction of coatings damage in the actual working conditions, and extension of service life of the coatings. © 2017, Chongqing Wujiu Periodicals Press. All rights reserved.