Mechanism of Synergistic Corrosion and Radiation Protection of Hexamethylenetetramine and Benzotriazole for Bionic Superhydrophobic Coating on Q235 Steel

Bionic superhydrophobic coatings were prepared on Q235 steel substrates by combining hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and benzotriazole (BTA) with methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), nano-silica, zinc oxide, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Three-dimensional morphology analysis revealed micro- and nanostructures in the coating. The coating’s corrosion resistance was demonstrated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed zinc oxide embedding within the micro- and nano-rough structures. The optimized bionic coating achieved a contact angle (CA) of 161.2° and a sliding angle (SA) of 2.0°. The bionic coatings demonstrated low adhesion, dynamic hydrophobicity, and self-cleaning properties when exposed to various liquids and contaminants. The corrosion inhibition mechanism of BTA and HMTA in superhydrophobic coatings involves a synergistic combination of chemisorption, complexation, and physical barrier effects. This MTMS-SiO2-ZnO-PDMS-HMTA-BTA coating demonstrated the highest protection efficiency among the tested formulations. The optimized coating achieved a protection efficiency of 92.12%. Additionally, the bionic coating demonstrated effective UV resistance, maintaining a contact angle of 153.7° after 120 h of UV exposure.