One step nanoencapsulation of corrosion inhibitors for gradual release application

The direct application of corrosion inhibitors on metal surfaces is potentially dangerous for the environment and the restoration operators, thus new conservation strategies are mandatory. In this study, two copper corrosion inhibitors, 1H-benzotriazole (BTA) and 5-phenyl-1H-tetrazole (PT), are encapsulated in a silica nanocontainer, for future application in smart coatings, with the aim to reduce the amount of chemicals used in treatments, their dispersion in the environment and the direct exposure of the operators to these chemicals. In particular, composite silica nanocapsules, containing the corrosion inhibitors, are prepared via one-step synthesis, based on mini-emulsion polymerisation processes.