Stepwise-Induced Synthesis and Excellent Corrosion Protection of Ce/Eu Codoped ZnO Solid Solution Materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Corrosion Science
• Inorganic Chemistry

Background:

• Corrosion remains a critical challenge in material protection.
• Developing advanced inorganic anticorrosion materials with enhanced functionalities is essential.
• Existing anticorrosion systems often lack multifunctional capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To devise a novel inorganic synthesis route for a multilayered Ce/Eu codoped zinc oxide solid solution (ZCEOSS).
• To investigate the electron and energy transfer mechanisms for improved corrosion inhibition.
• To evaluate the dual corrosion defense functions (photocathodic protection and luminescent stress defense) of the synthesized material.

Main Methods:

• Stepwise element introduction via coprecipitation based on solubility differences.
• Morphological control without templating agents to form multilayered lamellar structures.
• Tafel polarization tests to assess corrosion inhibition efficiency in simulated seawater.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized ZCEOSS with a self-assembled nested imbrication structure.
• The ZCEOSS material demonstrated combined photocathodic protection and luminescent initiative/stress dual corrosion defense.
• Optimized ZCEOSS (1% Ce, 7% Eu, pH 7) showed remarkable corrosion inhibition efficiency, enhancing epoxy resin and ZnO systems by 1028.3% and 402.9%, respectively, after 96h immersion.

Conclusions:

• The developed inorganic synthesis route enables the creation of advanced ZCEOSS with tunable morphology and enhanced anticorrosion properties.
• The synergistic energy level staircase mechanism involving rare-earth elements and ZnO effectively suppresses corrosion reactions.
• This study offers significant insights into designing highly efficient inorganic anticorrosion materials for demanding applications.