Electrochemical Polymerization of Thiophene and Poly(3-hexyl)thiophene, Nanocomposites with TiO₂, and Corrosion Protection Behaviors

Abstract

Thiophene, 3-hexylthiophene, and their nanocomposites with TiO₂ were electropolymerized on Al1050 electrode by chronoamperometric technique. Different concentrations of thiophene and 3-hexylthiophene homopolymers and their nanocomposites with TiO₂ (2% in total content) were characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion X-ray analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The anticorrosion tests for homopolymers and nanocomposite films were examined on Al1050 in 3.5% NaCl solution. Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/TiO₂ nanocomposite films gave the highest protection efficiency of 98% because the amount of defects was much lower than that for the poly(3-hexylthiophene), polythiophene, and polythiophene/TiO₂ films.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Al1050
• Anticorrosion
• Nanocomposite
• Polythiophene
• Poly(3-hexylthiophene)
• TiO₂

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors thank Serhat Tikiz (Afyon Kocatepe University, TUAM, Afyon, Turkey) for SEM–EDX measurements and Dr. Argun Gokceoren (ITU, Istanbul, Turkey) for FTIR-ATR measurements.