Enhancing the Erosion Resistance and Hardness of Waterborne Epoxy Coatings Using Hybrid nano-Al۲O۳/SCF Reinforcement

Waterborne epoxy seal coatings are prone to cracking due to the brittle nature of the resin. Short carbon fibers (SCFs), with superior mechanical strength, are promising reinforcement candidates, yet their poor compatibility with epoxy can induce defects. In this study, SCFs were surface-functionalized via silane-assisted-nanoAl۲O۳ deposition and incorporated into waterborne epoxy (WEP) coatings, significantly enhancing erosion resistance. Uniform nano-Al۲O۳ improved SCF-matrix interfacial adhesion. Erosion was evaluated according to ASTM G۷۶, and Shore D hardness was measured. After testing, the hybrid coating exhibited about ۶۰% more erosion resistance than neat epoxy. SEM analysis confirmed enhanced interfacial adhesion and mechanical interlocking. The results demonstrate that hybrid-functionalized SCFs provide an effective strategy to develop high performance and erosion resistant WEP coatings.

کلیدواژه ها:

Waterborne Epoxy Coating ، Short Carbon Fiber ، Nano-Al۲O۳ ، Erosion Behavior