A new report presents a promising application of polyurea nanofibers to enhance the anti-corrosion and wear resistance of epoxy resins.
Highly dispersed nanofibers with continuous strengthening interface can enhance the anticorrosion and wear resistance of traditional waterborne epoxy resin. Polyurea ~50 nm in diameter nanofibers were synthesised by addition polymerisation of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and organic amine.
The impedance of as-prepared composite coatings was increased by almost four times, providing longer lasting protection even in harsh environments. Meanwhile, the polyurea with 0.25 wt% nanofibers can greatly improve the wear resistance of coating up to 73.2 %. The anti-wear capacity of composite coating is derived from the entangled polyurea nanofibers transmitting the force of the contact surface and dimensional resistance to prevent coating displacement.
The study was published in Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 171, October 2022.