The influence of molecular weight on the anticorrosion properties of chitosan coatings

The effort to replace toxic compounds with natural alternatives led to intensive investigations on the use of polysaccharides as coatings for corrosion protection. Biological macromolecules, such as chitosan, demonstrate great potential for the development of sustainable anticorrosion coatings. However, the role played by important properties, such as molecular weight, on the performance of the coatings, remains unclear. In this paper, the influence of molecular weight on the anticorrosion properties of chitosan coatings is investigated using AA2024-T3 aluminum alloy as substrate. Chitosan of three different molecular weights were used for the preparation of coatings and free-standing films, and their properties (morphology, swelling degree, and water contact angle) were evaluated. The corrosion performance of the coated samples was investigated by an atmospheric corrosion essay and by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, in NaCl 3.5 % solution. The results show that the low-molecular-weight chitosan coatings present the lowest swelling degree (603 %), highest water contact angle (86.4°), lowest porosity, and superior performance in both corrosion tests, reaching impedances close to 10⁵Ωcm² even after seven days of exposure to corrosive solution.