Graphene has a densely packed single atomic layer and conjugated structure which sets it apart with unique electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. When oxidized, single layer graphene oxide (GO) retains the structural geometric gaps in the carbon rings (280 pm) that have been shown to resist the flow of oxygen gas (346 pm). In this way, lightweight graphene oxide dispersed in water can be applied via spray deposition onto surfaces to prevent corrosion. Negatively charged functional groups of GO prevent thick layering; however by stacking positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) layer by layer with GO, stable monolayer stacks can be achieved. In this report, we deposited via spin coating and spray coating: 1, 5, 10 and 30 layers (PEI/GO) onto 2024-T3 aluminum copper Alloys. Thickness and surface morphologies were characterized by atomic force microscopy. Cyclic voltammetry results indicate that thicker layers (up to 100 nm spin coated and 200 nm spray coated) protect the metal surface from oxidation by increasing the oxidation overpotential by 50 mV for 5 layers and 130 mV for 30 layers, indicating the potential to apply lightweight corrosion resistant coatings onto large and irregular surfaces.

Graphene oxide-polyethylenimine lightweight solution processed rust barrier for aluminum copper alloys

2019 Spring National Meeting

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