Preparation and properties of corrosion-resistant polysiloxane-based ceramic coatings

Developing high-performance anti-corrosion coating is an effective way of preventing metal surface from environmental corrosion. Polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) precursor was utilized in combination with nano-zirconia (ZrO₂) particles to prepare SiC_xO-ZrO₂ ceramic coating by means of high-temperature pyrolysis at 800 °C. A series of characterizations, including chemical structure, thermal stability, crystalline structure, microscopic morphology, and mechanical and electrochemical properties, were conducted to reveal the relation between the structure and the performance of the ceramic coatings. It was observed that the SiC_xO-ZrO₂ coating containing 20 wt% ZrO₂ exhibited a hardness greater than 9H, impact resistance of 50 cm, water contact angle as high as 132°, and excellent corrosion resistance, which was attributed from the reparative effect of ZrO₂ on ceramic coatings. This coating shows significant potential for use in storage tank anti-corrosion applications.