The Corrosion Resistance and Durability Performance of Graphene Coatings from the Laboratory to the Offshore Field

Abstract The performance of graphene coating was evaluated by exposing coated test panels to actual splash and spray zone conditions at offshore field for twelve months. The performance was compared to that of a test panel tested under laboratory control conditions. The performance of the coating was investigated by introducing 0.05 wt.% fine graphene particles GNP into a commercial epoxy glass flake (GF) paint. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), corrosion creepage after long-term saltwater and UV exposure were used to assess corrosion resistance performance. The coating’s mechanical performance was quantitatively evaluated using the pull-off adhesion test. Overall, the addition of small amounts of graphene at 0.05 wt% significantly improved the corrosion resistance properties of the coating, as evidenced by a higher impedance value from the EIS and a decrease in corrosion creepage after prolonged field exposure. The adhesion performance of the modified graphene coating after field exposure, as determined by visual inspection and pull-off adhesion test, remained superior to that of an unmodified coating, with less surface blistering and corrosion underneath, demonstrating the benefits of graphene as a barrier material for coating. The performance of the graphene coating was also consistent with the laboratory test conditions, in which the corrosion creepage was reduced by a factor of two and adhesion and abrasion consistently indicated improved performance compared to the control unmodified coating system.