POLY(2,6-DIMETHYLPHENYLENE ETHER): AN ELECTROACTIVE ANTICORROSION COATING FOR ALUMINUM

摘要

We present data which indicate that poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene ether) (PPE) is an electroactive coating material that can protect aluminum alloys from corrosion. We propose that PPE is like polyaniline (PANI) in its ability to enhance the native passivity of, and thereby protect, active-passive metals such as steel and aluminum. PANI and PPE are electroactive polymer coatings in that they participate in redox electrochemistry with substrate metals, leading to protection of the metals. The proposed chemistry is summarized in the equation below and is consistent with earlier X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy findings for PANI-EB on steel. These electroactive polymer coatings appear to catalyze the reaction of steel or aluminum with oxygen to form protective metal oxides, behavior that contrasts the barrier-only function typical of electrochemically inactive organic resinous paints. This "inhibitive" function of PANI-EB or PPE is fundamentally like that of the corrosion-inhibiting pigment SrCrO_4, as DC anodic scan measurements demonstrate.