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Water sorption into epoxy resins limits the performance lifetime of many composites, adhesives, and coatings. One hypothesis for the well‐known hygroscopicity of epoxies is that the well‐known internal nodular topology of epoxy networks enhances permeability. This theory has however remained untested to date, since previous attempts to manipulate the internal topology have been accompanied by changes in the hydrogen bonding capability of resins, which dominates water uptake. Here, the nanostructure of highly cross‐linked network polymers based on tetra glycidyl diaminodiphenyl methane is varied in the absence of significant polarity effects by careful optimization of the cure schedule. The internal morphology of resins cured at 100, 150, and 200°C are characterized using Peakforce tapping mode atomic force microscopy, whilst the cure progression at each temperature is analyzed using in‐situ transmission mode infrared spectroscopy. Distinct nodular morphologies are found to form at high cure temperatures (150 and 200°C), where spectroscopic analysis demonstrates that excess epoxy consumption occurs prior to the gel point, as a result of intra‐cluster cross‐linking and reduced reaction selectivity. Surprisingly, the establishment of an internal nanostructure is, however, found to have negligible effect on the extent and kinetics of moisture sorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protective film formed in a defect by leaching of lithium oxalate from model organic coatings during neutral salt spray exposure has been investigated. A scribed area of about 1mm width was introduced on the coated AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy. The scribed area was examined before and after exposure in neutral salt spray environment for 4, 8, 24 and 168 h by scanning and transmission electron microscopies. Itwas found that the lithiumoxalatewas able to leach fromthe organic coating during neutral salt spray exposure and it promoted the formation of a film that provided effective corrosion protection to the alloy. The typical film morphology consists of three different layers, including a relatively compact layer near the alloy substrate, a porous middle layer and a columnar outer layer. Variation of the filmmorphology was also observed at different locations of the scribed alloy surface, which may be related to the difference of local concentration of lithium species. Electron energy loss spectroscopy detected lithium, aluminium and oxygen in the film. Although the film showed the varied morphologies in different regions of the scribed area, the alloy substrate was protected from corrosion when the film was formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of a low concentration of strontium chromate on the corrosion inhibition of superpure aluminium and AA2014-T6 aluminium alloy in 0.6 M chloride solution has been investigated to simulate the leaching process of inhibitors from coatings. The potential-time and polarisation behaviour show influences on both the anodic and cathodic kinetics on the superpure aluminium surface. However, predominant cathodic inhibition was observed for the AA2014-T6 aluminium alloy. It was evident that chromium species were reduced at cathodic second phase particles, forming a thin passive film at the cathodic sites, which blocks the oxygen reduction reaction and, consequently, provides effective corrosion inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium carbonate and lithium oxalate were incorporated as leachable corrosion inhibitors in model organic coatings for the protection of AA2024-T3. The coated samples were artificially damaged with a scribe. It was found that the lithium-salts are able to leach from the organic coating and form a protective layer in the scribe on AA2024-T3 under neutral salt spray conditions. The present paper shows the first observation and analysis of these corrosion protective layers, generated from lithium-salt loaded organic coatings. The scribed areas were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy before and after neutral salt spray exposure (ASTM-B117). The protective layers typically consist of three different layered regions, including a relatively dense layer near the alloy substrate, a porous middle layer and a flake-shaped outer layer, with lithium uniformly distributed throughout all three layers. Scanning electron microscopy and white light interferometry surface roughness measurements demonstrate that the formation of the layer occurs rapidly and, therefore provides an effective inhibition mechanism. Based on the observation of this work, a mechanism is proposed for the formation of these protective layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first direct observation of a chemically heterogeneous nanostructure within an epoxy resin is reported. Epoxy resins comprise the matrix component of many high performance composites, coatings and adhesives, yet the molecular network structure that underpins the performance of these industrially essential materials is not well understood. Internal nodular morphologies have repeatedly been reported for epoxy resins analyzed using SEM or AFM, yet the origin of these features remains a contentious subject, and epoxies are still commonly assumed to be chemically homogeneous. Uniquely, in this contribution we use the recently developed AFM-IR technique to eliminate previous differences in interpretation, and establish that nodule features correspond to heterogeneous network connectivity within an epoxy phenolic formulation.

Lithium carbonate and lithium oxalate were incorporated as leachable corrosion inhibitors in model organic coatings for the protection of AA2024-T3. The coated samples were artificially damaged with a scribe. It was found that the lithium-salts are able to leach from the organic coating and form a protective layer in the scribe on AA2024-T3 under neutral salt spray conditions. The present paper shows the first observation and analysis of these corrosion protective layers, generated from lithium-salt loaded organic coatings. The scribed areas were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy before and after neutral salt spray exposure (ASTM-B117). The protective layers typically consist of three different layered regions, including a relatively dense layer near the alloy substrate, a porous middle layer and a flake-shaped outer layer, with lithium uniformly distributed throughout all three layers. Scanning electron microscopy and white light interferometry surface roughness measurements demonstrate that the formation of the layer occurs rapidly and, therefore provides an effective inhibition mechanism. Based on the observation of this work, a mechanism is proposed for the formation of these protective layers.