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Interface-Tunable Fluoropolymer Coatings Enabled by Surface-Engineered Recycled Tire Rubber.
Reymark D Maalihan1, Sanjida Ferdousi2, Marcel Roy B Domalanta1
1Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58102, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|August 9, 2025
Summary
This study enhances fluoropolymer coatings using functionalized ground tire rubber (fGTR). The modified rubber improves flexibility and fracture energy, offering a sustainable solution for durable, corrosion-resistant barriers.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Surface Engineering
Background:
- Fluoropolymer coatings offer excellent chemical resistance but suffer from poor adhesion and structural integrity in harsh conditions due to low surface energy.
- Improving the performance of fluoropolymer coatings requires strategies to enhance interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties without compromising inherent stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable interfacial engineering strategy for enhancing the performance of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) coatings.
- To investigate the use of functionalized ground tire rubber (fGTR) as a sustainable additive to improve adhesion, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of fluoropolymer coatings.
Main Methods:
- Postconsumer ground tire rubber (GTR) was functionalized via surface-initiated grafting of poly(acrylic acid) to create fGTR.
- fGTR was incorporated into PVDF-HFP at varying concentrations, with optimal performance observed at 7 wt %.
- Coating performance was evaluated using mechanical testing (elongation at break, fracture energy), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), finite element modeling (FEM), and cyclic corrosion testing.
Main Results:
- The optimal 7 wt % fGTR composite exhibited a nearly 3-fold increase in elongation at break and more than double the fracture energy compared to unmodified PVDF-HFP.
- EIS data showed sustained barrier performance, with a low-frequency impedance modulus of approximately 1.3 × 10^9 ohm·cm^2 after 30 days in salt solution.
- FEM and cyclic corrosion tests confirmed improved stress distribution and enhanced long-term durability of the fGTR-modified coatings.
Conclusions:
- Surface-functionalized GTR acts as an effective, interface-tunable additive in thin-film fluoropolymer coatings.
- This approach provides a sustainable pathway to create multifunctional, corrosion-resistant barrier systems with significantly improved mechanical properties.
- The developed strategy demonstrates the potential of upcycled materials in high-performance coating applications.
