SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CATIO3-REINFORCED CHITOSAN COATINGS FOR ENHANCED CORROSION RESISTANCE

In this study, chitosan-based composite coatings modified with calcium titanate particles were investigated in terms of their microstructural characteristics and corrosion resistance. Chitosan gels containing 0–2 wt.% calcium titanate were prepared, and the morphology of the resulting composites was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that the incorporation of calcium titanate particles into the chitosan matrix caused changes in the intensity of the characteristic hydroxyl, amine, and ether bands, indicating physical interactions between the particles and the polymer chains without the formation of new chemical bonds. The results demonstrated that calcium titanate particles were more uniformly dispersed within the chitosan matrix at low filler contents, while higher particle concentrations led to pronounced agglomeration. Among the investigated compositions, the composite containing 0.05 wt.% calcium titanate exhibited the most homogeneous microstructure with minimal particle aggregation. Based on these findings, the optimized composite formulation was applied onto metal substrates using the layer-by-layer deposition method to produce two-layer coatings. The corrosion behavior of uncoated and coated metal samples was evaluated by immersion in a saline solution for one week. Severe corrosion was observed on the uncoated metal surface, whereas no significant corrosion or surface degradation was detected on the coated samples containing calcium titanate. In addition, the particles were uniformly distributed on the coating surface without noticeable aggregation. Particle size analysis of calcium titanate powders revealed an average particle size of 1.81 micrometers, consistent with particle size distribution measurements. Overall, the results indicate that calcium titanate-modified chitosan coatings form an effective protective barrier and significantly enhance corrosion resistance in saline environments.