Application of hierarchical bonds for construction an anti-corrosion coating with superior intrinsic self-healing function

An anti-corrosion coating is prepared by reaction of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) with di-isopropenyl benzene (DB), followed by the addition of Cu2+ ions. This coating can heal its scratching within 2 h in air and 12 h in solution without external intervention. The corrosion inhibition effect of the DB-ALA-Cu2+ coating was demonstrated by electrochemical measurements. It shows excellent performance against copper corrosion in 3 wt% NaCl solution. The self-healing mechanism is attributed to the formation and exchange of hierarchical non-covalent and covalent bonds. This coating extends significantly its service life and has potential applications in the metal anticorrosion area.