Graphene Coatings for the Corrosion Protection of Base Metals

2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. All rights reserved. The exploration of entirely new coating paradigms for corrosion protection of base metals is important. As a carbon-based electroactive and highly conducting material that can be interfaced with metals, graphene is an attractive non-metallurgical candidate for protecting base metals either by itself or as the active element of polymer, metal matrix, or ceramic composites. This chapter reviews current mechanistic understanding of how graphene inhibits corrosion, and provides illustrative examples of the use of graphene as a component in- or as a standalone coating for the corrosion inhibition of base metals. It makes a comparison of the approaches (metal nanocomposites and ceramic nanocomposites) for corrosion protection based on the use of graphene, explores the mechanistic underpinnings of the protection bestowed by graphene coatings, and captures a snapshot of this rapidly developing area of research. The chapter examines the potential of this material as an alternative to conventional metallurgical films or polymeric coatings.

Graphene Coatings for the Corrosion Protection of Base Metals Chapter