Achieving Superior Anti-Corrosion Performance with Spherical Organic Additives and Synergistic Barrier-Passivation Mechanisms

Developing effective additive materials for high-performance anti-corrosion coatings remains a significant challenge. While organic materials are increasingly recognized for their inherent properties, versatility, and ease of processing, their use as filler additives for corrosion protection is still in the early stages. In this study, we present a novel spherical organic material, termed NTAB, which exhibits enhanced electrochemical activity, superior molecular stability, and optimized electronic properties. NTAB is synthesized through a simple condensation reaction. The resulting NTAB organics serve as active fillers in epoxy resin (EP), forming an anti-corrosion NTAB/EP coating. This coating demonstrates outstanding anti-corrosion performance, with an exceptionally low corrosion rate of 9.9×10⁻⁶ mm·a⁻¹ and a corrosion inhibition efficiency of 99.70%. Notably, the NTAB/EP coating achieves an impressive |Z|₀.₀₁Hz value of 8.94×10⁹ Ω·cm² after an extended immersion period of 154 days in a 3.5wt% NaCl solution, significantly outperforming previously reported anti-corrosion coatings. Real-world evaluations in seawater environments further confirm the coating’s durability, with no visible corrosion even near scratches. This remarkable longevity is attributed to the synergistic effects of the NTAB organics, combining efficient physical barrier properties with chemical passivation, offering valuable insights for the development of anti-corrosion coatings in harsh environments.