The influence of adding corrosion inhibitor and pH on the electrochemical properties of hybrid films applied to galvanised steel

This study was aimed at coating galvanised steel with a hybrid film obtained from a sol consisting of silane precursors 3 - (trimetoxisililpropil) methacrylate (TMSPMA) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The pH of the hydrolysed-silane solution was 1 and 3. The influence of adding corrosion inhibitor (i.e. 0.01M cerium nitrate) was evaluated for all samples. The hybrid films were deposited by dip-coating. The film was characterised scanning electron microscopy (SEM), profilometry, contact angle measurement, potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that solution pH influenced hybrid film formation and final surface properties. Additionally, cerium nitrate as corrosion inhibitor addition enhances corrosion resistance of the films.