ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general review of the latest advances in polymer nanocomposite coatings (PNCs) that are mainly used in the field of corrosion protection for structural metals and alloys. Several research articles have been published reporting the advantages of using PNCs over traditional polymeric coatings. Many different PNCs synthesized using various polymers and nanomaterials have been evaluated for anticorrosion applications with an intent to either replace traditional coatings or improve their properties in accordance with the changes in environmental regulatory laws or industrial requirements. Even though a considerable amount of research work has been performed on the potential use of PNCs in the field of corrosion protection, there are still challenges that need to be addressed in order to develop efficient PNCs with controllable properties for industrial applications. Proper understanding of how PNCs fundamentally interact with different species involved in corrosion process is essential to fabricate effective PNCs and utilize their beneficial properties for corrosion protection. This chapter mainly focuses on the importance of electrochemical behavior of PNCs in providing corrosion protection to the substrate. In the introduction part of this chapter, corrosion basics, electrochemistry, and electrochemical techniques have been discussed. Then, the classification of PNCs in terms of their electrochemical behavior has been presented. Finally, the case studies representing various categories of PNCs from recent research published in literature has been covered.
