A hybrid ceramifiable hydrophobic coating with integrated fire-resistance and weatherability

Steel structures in coastal oil and gas facilities are particularly susceptible to corrosion and fire hazards, posing significant challenges to structural integrity and fire safety. Anti-corrosion coatings provide excellent corrosion resistance for the steel, while, in the case of the 1200 °C flame conditions, inorganic passive fire protection coating provides superior to fire performance than the organic coating. Here, a hybrid ceramifiable hydrophobic coating was developed by incorporating a high loading of two-dimensional flake fillers into a silicone resin matrix to enhance fire resistance of organic anticorrosion-coated structural steel. The results indicate that the developed coating exhibits excellent fire-resistance and weatherability. Under a 1200 °C flame, the fire-resistant coating protected the steel plate for at least 30 minutes without peeling, while limiting the backside temperature to approximately 535 °C. Moreover, the weatherability of the coating was assessed via accelerated environmental aging, including corrosive and damp-heat environments. This excellent stability is attributed to the dense packing of the flake fillers and the inherent hydrophobicity of the silicone resin. These findings not only provide condensed-phase fire protection but also serve as a candidate for the potential future applications in diverse extreme service conditions, such as lithium-ion battery enclosures.