Brazil. A compound of cerium and silanol wrapped in polystyrene capsules and used in paints was successfully tested to inhibit corrosion of metals. The research that tested the formulation was carried out by engineer Fernando Cotting, from the University of São Paulo.
Microcapsules allow the metal coating to acquire automatic recovery (self-healing) characteristics. One of the main applications of the inhibitor is the protection of oil storage pipes and tanks, which led the studio to receive the Petrobras Technology Award.
The research was carried out in a system of encapsulation of corrosion inhibitors to be placed in the paints. "Currently, inhibitors tend to be directly mixed with resins, but they undergo chemical reactions that impede their performance and hinder the performance of the paints," said Idalina Vieira Aoki, who oversaw the research.
The inhibitor uses a mixture of cerium (-III), and silanol. "Cerium is already used to fight corrosion, while silanol was used for film production," Cotting said. "The advantage of these compounds is that they act synergistically and the use of a lower concentration of cerium, of little abundance in nature, can reduce manufacturing costs without affecting the effectiveness of the product."
The main application of the material is paints for pipes and oil storage tanks.
