Generation of a lignin-polyester coating for the corrosion protection of steel surfaces applied by atmospheric plasma spraying

The natural process of metal corrosion causes significant losses in a wide range of industries, requiring substantial efforts to contain its effects. An alternative approach to corrosion protection is the use of renewable organic coating materials. This research proposes the use of lignin-polyester blends as coating materials. Due to the abundance of functional groups in the lignin structure, it can act as corrosion inhibition centers in the coating. The coatings are deposited on stainless steel surfaces by a novel process route via atmospheric plasma powder spraying (APPS). To determine the effect of the lignin content on the corrosion performance, the specific amounts of lignin and polyester have been varied in 10 % increments from 0 % to 100 % with constant coating parameters. The as-produced coatings exhibited thicknesses that ranged from 11 μm to 30 μm, respectively for the pure lignin and polyester coatings. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated the meltability of the lignin and polyester powder through the plasma process. Coatings containing a greater proportion of polyester exhibited superior meltability and better coverage. Furthermore, it was observed that the APPS promoted cross-linking of the lignin particles, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This, in conjunction with well-balanced lignin-polyester ratios, was instrumental in achieving advanced corrosion resistance as evidenced by Potentiodynamic polarization measurement (PDP). The lignin proportion between 40 % and 60 % produced the highest corrosion inhibition efficiency, with a maximum inhibition of 96 %. Furthermore, pull-off adhesion tests suggest that lignin contributes to the overall cohesive strength of the blend.