Sea anemone-inspired smart epoxy coating with mechanical energy relieving capability for improved corrosion protection in simulated marine environment

Abstract

Organic coatings are one of the most widely used methods for metal protection. However, traditional organic coatings fail to meet the demands for mechanical energy relief under harsh marine conditions characterized by fluid shear and pressure. To address this challenge, a biomimetic strategy is proposed to introduce a slipable functional side chain into the epoxy backbone, mimicking the mechanism of tentacle movement in sea anemones. This innovative design endows the 2-ureido-4-pyrimidone (UPy)-grafted epoxy coating with exceptional mechanical energy dissipation capabilities. An in-depth investigation into the relationship between the molecular structure and properties revealed that the enhancement originates from a unique architecture that mimics the slip mechanism of sea anemones. This structure features chain-sliding motion at the molecular level and the dynamic exchange of hydrogen bond cross-linking sites. This mechanism efficiently dissipates mechanical energy within the three-dimensional crosslinked network of the coating, thereby significantly enhancing its anti-corrosion performance. This research offers a novel strategy for developing mechanical energy relief coatings and shows promise for the practical application of dynamic bond chemistry theory in creating multifunctional coatings for deep-sea equipment.