Introducing dynamic covalent bonding into thermoset polymers has received considerable attention because they can repair or recover when damaged, thereby minimizing waste and extending the service life of thermoset polymers. However, most of the yielded dynamic covalent bonds require an extra catalyst, high temperature and high-pressure conditions to trigger their self-healing properties. Herein, we report on a catalyst-free bis-dynamic covalent polymer network containing vinylogous urethane and disulfide bonds. It is revealed that the introduction of disulfide bonds significantly reduces the activation energy (reduced from 94 kJ/mol to 51 kJ/mol) of the polymer system for exchanging and promotes the self-healing efficiency (with a high efficiency of 86.92% after being heated at 100 °C for 20 h) of the material. More importantly, the mechanical properties of the healed materials are comparable to those of the initial ones due to the special bis-dynamic covalent polymer network. These results suggest that the bis-dynamic covalent polymer network made of disulfide and inter-vinyl ester bonds opens a new strategy for developing high-performance vitrimer polymers.
Soluble aniline tetramer (AT) was successfully prepared by chemical oxidation method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) were used to characterize its structure. The redox behavior of AT was identified through the electrochemical cyclic voltammetry studies. Then, the epoxy coating was prepared by using AT as inhibitor. Its anticorrosive property was evaluated by salt solution resistance test, polarization curve, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Salt solution resistance test, polarization curves, and EIS measurements indicate that the obtained epoxy anticorrosive coating, containing 1.0% AT, exhibits remarkably enhanced corrosion protection properties on Q235 steel electrodes as compared to pure epoxy anticorrosive coating without AT. The significantly improved anticorrosion performance may be owing to the redox behavior of the AT, adsorption and inhibition effect of AT on Q235 steel surface, as well as synergistic curing effect by AT and polyamide.
Polypyrrole nanowires/graphene (PPyNG) nanocomposites as anticorrosive fillers were prepared by in situ polymerization in order to improve the anticorrosion performance of waterborne epoxy coatings. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterized the morphologies and structures of the synthesized PPyNG. The polypyrrole nanowires with about 50 nm in diameter were obtained. Conjugation length of PPy was increased with the addition of graphene. Open circuit potential (OCP) measurements, Tafel polarization curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using an electrochemical workstation evaluated the anticorrosion properties of the waterborne epoxy/PPyNG coatings (EPPyNG). The studied nanocomposite coating possessed superior corrosion protection performance when the graphene content of the filler was 2 wt %. Its corrosion rate was about 100 times lower than that of neat epoxy coating. The higher barrier properties of nanocomposite coating and passivation effect of polypyrrole nanowires were beneficial in corrosion protection.