Infrared stealth and anticorrosion performances of organically modified silicate-NiZn ferrite/polyaniline hybrid coatings

Hybrid coatings based on organically modified silicate-Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/polyaniline were synthesized through a sol-gel technique with different NiZn ferrite/polyaniline weight ratio (1/1, 1/2, 1/5). These hybrid films were deposited via spin coating onto an aluminum alloy to improve the corrosion protection and to act as infrared stealth coatings. The effects induced by the NiZn ferrite/polyaniline hybrids on the chain dynamic, ferromagnetic behavior, infrared stealth, and anticorrosion performances of the coated samples were investigated. The rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation times and scale of the spin-diffusion path length indicated that the configuration of the hybrid films was highly cross-linked and dense. The thermal extinction of the hybrid coatings increased with the increase in the polyaniline content. Potentio-dynamic and salt-spray analysis revealed that the hybrid films provided an exceptional barrier and corrosion protection in comparison with untreated aluminum alloy substrates. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.