Significantly enhanced photoelectrochemical cathodic protection performance and preventing biofouling dual functional Cu₂ZnSnS₄/TiO₂ nanotube composite material

A new type of photoelectrochemical cathodic protection technology (a combination of seawater corrosion and biological fouling resistance) is being actively researched to alleviate the serious corrosion of marine metal materials. At present, there is almost no research on anti-corrosion and anti-fouling dual functional materials. In this paper, Cu₂ZnSnS₄ is attached to the surface of TiO₂ nanotubes through a one-step hydrothermal method for modification. The results indicate that when the hydrothermal reaction time is 24 h, Cu₂ZnSnS₄/TiO₂ nanocomposite material exhibits excellent performance in coupling with the protected 304 SS, with its open circuit potential shifts negatively to −1.04 V. This material improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and effectively improves the photochemical cathodic protection of 304 stainless steel. The high removal rate of Staphylococcus aureus (up to 93%) of the as-prepared samples also proved that it has the effect of the anti-biological fouling.