Poly(3-Octylthiophene) and Poly(3-Octylthiophene)/TiO₂-Coated on Al1050: Electrosynthesis, Characterization and Its Corrosion Protection Ability in NaCl Solution

Abstract

In this study, 3-octylthiophene (3OT) and its nanocomposites with TiO₂(3OT/TiO₂) were electrochemically synthesized in different initial monomer concentrations (50, 75, 100, and 150 mM) in 0.1 M tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF₄)/acetonitrile (CH₃CN) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The best modified electrodes, which were taken from the optimum conditions of redox behaviors, were also electropolymerized in 0.5 M oxalic acid/acetonitrile (CH₃CN) solution on Al1050 electrode. The modified Al1050 electrodes were characterized by optical microscope, FTIR-ATR, SEM-EDX, and EIS. The optimum conditions of the electrocoated P(3OT)/Al1050 and P(3OT)/TiO₂ nanocomposites on Al1050 electrode were investigated for corrosion performances against 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion tests were performed by EIS and Tafel extrapolation plots together with the equivalent circuit model of R_s(Q_c(R_c(Q_pR_ct))). P(3OT)/TiO₂ nanocomposite films showed higher protection efficiency (PE = 89%) than P(3OT) films (PE = 81%). The P(3OT)/TiO₂ nanocomposite films coated on Al1050 electrodes may be used in industrial applications of corrosion protection against salt water.

Keywords:

• Coating
• Corrosion
• Electropolymerization
• Nanocomposite
• Poly(3-octylthiophene)
• TiO₂

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Serhat Tikiz (Afyon Kocatepe Univ., TUAM, Afyon, Turkey) for SEM-EDX measurements and Dr. Argun Gokceoren (ITU, Istanbul, Turkey) for FTIR-ATR measurements. The authors also wish to thank the ASM Elexol Aluminum Company (Istanbul, Turkey) for providing Al1050 electrodes.

Notes

Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/lpte.