Abstract
This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of protective coatings in preventing the corrosion of steel in the marine environment. Electrochemical tests were performed on S355JR steel immersed in natural seawater (Black Sea, Port Constanta) over a period of 22 weeks, using electrochemical techniques such as the evolution of the open circuit potential (OCP) and linear polarization resistance to calculate R(p) and the corrosion rate (V(corr)). The investigated steel surfaces included (a) S355JR steel blasted with Al(2)O(3), (b) S355JR steel blasted and coated with epoxy primer enriched with zinc, (c) S355JR steel blasted and coated with epoxy primer and polyurethane paint, and (d) S355JR steel blasted and subsequently coated with epoxy primer and then polyurethane paint to which kreutzonit particles had been added. The proportion of kreutzonit particles added to the polyurethane paint was 2 wt% of the total mass of the paint. Subsequently, the samples were subjected to morphological analyses and cross-sectional analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), topographical characterization (roughness and microhardness), and structural assessments (FTIR and XRD), as well as an analysis of hydrophobicity (contact angle). The results of this study revealed significant differences in corrosion behavior between the different surfaces and coatings tested. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the coating with epoxy primer and polyurethane paint to which kreutzonit particles had been added provided the best corrosion protection in the marine environment during immersion.