Preparation of Hybrid Chitosan/Silica Composites Via Ionotropic Gelation and Its Electrochemical Impedance Studies

• Published in: Progress in organic coatings 2020-08, Vol.145, p.105679, Article 105679
• Main Authors: Wonnie Ma, I.A., Ammar, Sh, Bashir, Shahid, Selvaraj, Manickam, Assiri, Mohammed A., Ramesh, K., Ramesh, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chitosan; chitosan/silica; Corrosion prevention; Corrosion resistance; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS); Electron microscopy; Emission analysis; Field emission microscopy; Fourier transforms; Gelation; Hybrid; Infrared analysis; ionotropic gelation; Microscopy; Morphology; organic/inorganic; Silicon dioxide; Sodium triphosphate; Spectrum analysis
• ISSN: 0300-9440; 1873-331X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2020.105679

•Novel hybrid inorganic-in-organic materials.•Novel chitosan/silica hybrid composite was synthesized using ionic gelation technique.•Morphology studies demonstrated the interfacial interaction among the chitosan and silica.•Maximum of 0.8 wt.% chitosan/silica nanocomposite in epoxy can maintain the capability to supress lectrochemical reaction.•EIS studies proposed the synthesized hybride nanocomposite can be used as potentially active reinforcing agent for corrosion prevention application. Hybrid materials are inimitable conjugates of organic/inorganic structures having synergetic behaviour and extraordinary properties. Therefore, hybrid chitosan/silica composite was synthesized by using sodium tripolyphosphate via ionotropic gelation technique. The obtained intercalation of hybrid chitosan/silica composite was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The surface morphology of the composite was studied through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The EDX analysis was performed to find the wt.% of the present elements in the composite that showed the increment of O element up to 47.50 wt. % and the presence of Si (27.61 wt. %) revealed that the silica is present within the chitosan matrix, which demonstrates successful hybridization of chitosan/silica. Furthermore, the obtained hybrid chitosan/silica was incorporated within the epoxy matrix and electrochemical studies such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed for 60 days. The experimental results revealed that the presence of hybrid chitosan/silica composite up to 0.8 wt. % resulted in a profound outcome as a considerable active reinforcing agent for corrosion prevention application with the highest coating resistance, (1.97 ± 0.01) × 1011 Ω and lowest breakpoint frequency, 51 × 10-3 Hz after 60 days.