Evaluation of Corrosion Inhibition Performance and Surface Characterization of PCL-Coated Aluminum Alloys

Abstract

Corrosion is a natural and unavoidable process that must be controlled to minimize damage to metals across various industries. One effective method for corrosion inhibition is the use of polymer coatings. In this study, Al alloy coupons were coated with a 10% concentrated solution of compound polycaprolactone (PCL) using a dip coater. Different dip-coating parameters were tested, including drying time, dwell time, speed, and number of cycles. Both coated and uncoated Al alloy coupons were immersed in 1 M HCl solution for 1, 2, 3, 7, and 15 days. Corrosion behavior was evaluated using the weight loss method. Among the samples, Sample 3 (5 cycles, 200 mm/s speed, 60 s dwell time, 30 s drying time) showed the highest corrosion inhibition efficiency, while Sample 4 (5 cycles, 300 mm/s speed, 60 s dwell time, 60 s dry time) exhibited the poorest performance. In addition to the weight loss analysis, SEM-EDX and FTIR analyses were conducted on Sample 2 and an uncoated Fe alloy coupon before and after corrosion testing.