The development of novel functionalized hybrid sol-gel materials as protective coatings for industrial steel against corrosion and fouling

The annual cost of corrosion and its related expenses in Saudi Arabia has been estimated more than 90 billion Riyals which represents reasonable percentages of the Kingdoms Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Corrosion phenomenon is a significant problem in the Arabian Gulf region due to the regions climate as well as enormous oil and gas activities and associated pollution factors. The persistent increasing humidity, temperature and dusty winds immensely degrade engineering materials and adversely affect their structural components. In the maritime sector of the Kingdom, the growth of undesirable colonies of microorganisms (algae and bacteria) and macro niches (like barnacles and marine weeds) on vessels waste fuels have huge implication environmental and economic consequences. Problems and consequences of material failure through corrosion could range from minor to severely catastrophic, with the loss of lives and disruption of essential services, if the mechanism of the process and not just the causes is not promptly addressed. Coating is one of the most generic technologies used nowadays to protect the engineering materials against corrosion and fouling. In this project, we are proposing the synthesis of novel, effective, non-toxic, and fast-curing hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel resins starting from vinylsilane and metal alkoxide precursors. The new hybrid materials will be subjected to spectral [fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and proton & carbon-13 nuclear magnetic Resonance (1H & 13C NMR)], thermal [Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)] and molecular weight [gel permeation chromatography (GPC)] characterizations. The embedment of various organic and inorganic corrosion inhibitors and anti-bacterial agents into the prepared base hybrid coatings will maximize their corrosion and fouling protection for steel used in aerated saline applications. We are trying here to design new embedded coatings with both excellent anti-corrosion and anti-fouling properties. The anti-corrosion and antifouling properties of the newly developed final embedded and free coating system will be compared with those for the commercially available candidate coatings. This work is aimed at contributing to the solutions of material degradation and failures in Saudi Arabia in a view to reducing the cost already incurred. It will be a principal strategy of replacing paints and coating with questionable health and environmental concerns and legislation, and also prevent marine fouling to a great extent for materials applications. Developing competency in the area of synthesizing new hybrid sol-gel materials will open wide opportunities of advanced application in coating preparation using a combination of film technology and metal protection. The project will cover both fundamental aspects and application in coating particularly anti-fouling since the fundamental of relatively environmentally-friendly, cheap and diverse single-coat antifouling coatings is still not established yet. This challenging project will also train manpower and build infrastructure in the area of corrosion science and technology and also contribute to education by providing challenging workable graduation project topics for both graduate and undergraduate students in the field of material science and engineering, chemistry and mechanical engineering.