Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies

The corrosion protection of metals has long been considered a key challenge for researchers at both industrial and academic levels. While numerous state-of-the-art corrosion protection techniques exist for metals like copper, iron, steel, and zinc, there are few reports on preventing aluminum (Al) f...

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Main Authors: Balaram Polai, Aiswarya Samal, Satyajit Ratha, Debashish Das, Saroj Kumar Nayak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Nano Express
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2632-959X/adc31e
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author Balaram Polai
Aiswarya Samal
Satyajit Ratha
Debashish Das
Saroj Kumar Nayak
author_facet Balaram Polai
Aiswarya Samal
Satyajit Ratha
Debashish Das
Saroj Kumar Nayak
author_sort Balaram Polai
collection DOAJ
description The corrosion protection of metals has long been considered a key challenge for researchers at both industrial and academic levels. While numerous state-of-the-art corrosion protection techniques exist for metals like copper, iron, steel, and zinc, there are few reports on preventing aluminum (Al) from corrosion. This study introduces an innovative method for protecting aluminum from corrosion through the anodic electrochemical deposition of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coatings. The anti-corrosion performance of rGO-coated aluminum (Al/rGO) substrates was examined in 1.0 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 1.0 M sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions, utilizing electrochemical techniques. The in situ reduction of the graphene oxide (GO) coatings has shown significantly enhanced corrosion protection for aluminum compared to uncoated surfaces. The experimental findings demonstrate that rGO coatings protect against corrosive substances due to their hydrophobicity, diffusion site blockage, and tortuous diffusion path mechanisms on the aluminum surface. Additionally, to gain further insight into this study, with the help of density functional theory (DFT), analysis has revealed the weaker binding of corrosive species, such as NaCl−, HCl molecules, and Cl ^− ions with graphene- as well as rGO-coated Al surfaces (Al/Gr and Al/rGO) in comparison to their stronger binding with the uncoated Al surface. The diffusion energy barrier study has shown that the corrosive species must go through a high diffusion energy barrier to react with Al/Gr and Al/rGO surfaces compared to the bare Al surface. The combined experimental and theoretical studies found that rGO strongly binds with the Al surface, thus providing favorable corrosion protection for the bare Al surface.
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spelling doaj-art-6f869b29e2b047a2abca099b1f6da3512025-08-20T03:06:32ZengIOP PublishingNano Express2632-959X2025-01-016101502410.1088/2632-959X/adc31eCorrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studiesBalaram Polai0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7022-4806Aiswarya Samal1Satyajit Ratha2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8708-2349Debashish Das3Saroj Kumar Nayak4School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar , Khordha, Odisha, 752050, IndiaSchool of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar , Khordha, Odisha, 752050, IndiaSchool of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar , Khordha, Odisha, 752050, IndiaSchool of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar , Khordha, Odisha, 752050, IndiaSchool of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar , Khordha, Odisha, 752050, IndiaThe corrosion protection of metals has long been considered a key challenge for researchers at both industrial and academic levels. While numerous state-of-the-art corrosion protection techniques exist for metals like copper, iron, steel, and zinc, there are few reports on preventing aluminum (Al) from corrosion. This study introduces an innovative method for protecting aluminum from corrosion through the anodic electrochemical deposition of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coatings. The anti-corrosion performance of rGO-coated aluminum (Al/rGO) substrates was examined in 1.0 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 1.0 M sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions, utilizing electrochemical techniques. The in situ reduction of the graphene oxide (GO) coatings has shown significantly enhanced corrosion protection for aluminum compared to uncoated surfaces. The experimental findings demonstrate that rGO coatings protect against corrosive substances due to their hydrophobicity, diffusion site blockage, and tortuous diffusion path mechanisms on the aluminum surface. Additionally, to gain further insight into this study, with the help of density functional theory (DFT), analysis has revealed the weaker binding of corrosive species, such as NaCl−, HCl molecules, and Cl ^− ions with graphene- as well as rGO-coated Al surfaces (Al/Gr and Al/rGO) in comparison to their stronger binding with the uncoated Al surface. The diffusion energy barrier study has shown that the corrosive species must go through a high diffusion energy barrier to react with Al/Gr and Al/rGO surfaces compared to the bare Al surface. The combined experimental and theoretical studies found that rGO strongly binds with the Al surface, thus providing favorable corrosion protection for the bare Al surface.https://doi.org/10.1088/2632-959X/adc31ealuminumanodic electrochemical depositionreduced graphene oxideanti-corrosionDFT
spellingShingle Balaram Polai
Aiswarya Samal
Satyajit Ratha
Debashish Das
Saroj Kumar Nayak
Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
Nano Express
aluminum
anodic electrochemical deposition
reduced graphene oxide
anti-corrosion
DFT
title Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
title_full Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
title_fullStr Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
title_full_unstemmed Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
title_short Corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface: a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
title_sort corrosion inhibition properties of graphene and reduced graphene oxide on aluminum surface a comparative analysis from experimental and theoretical studies
topic aluminum
anodic electrochemical deposition
reduced graphene oxide
anti-corrosion
DFT
url https://doi.org/10.1088/2632-959X/adc31e
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AT satyajitratha corrosioninhibitionpropertiesofgrapheneandreducedgrapheneoxideonaluminumsurfaceacomparativeanalysisfromexperimentalandtheoreticalstudies
AT debashishdas corrosioninhibitionpropertiesofgrapheneandreducedgrapheneoxideonaluminumsurfaceacomparativeanalysisfromexperimentalandtheoreticalstudies
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