Effect of solvent on properties of ZIF-8 and epoxy coating performance

The effect of solvent, that is water or ethanol, on the properties of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF)-8 materials, as well as the properties of epoxy coating filled with ZIF-8 materials, has been studied. The obtained results indicate that ZIF-8 materials synthesized in different solvents exhibit the sodalite phase and good crystallinity. However, there were slight differences in the d-spacing (between crystal planes) among ZIF-8 materials synthesized in different solvents, reflecting minor distortions in the crystal lattice or small variations in particle size or shape.
Consequently, the ZIF-8 material synthesized in ethanol has a cubic morphology with a size of ≈100 nm, while the ZIF-8 material synthesized in water exhibits a thin-sheet morphology. The ZIF-8materials improve the mechanical properties of epoxy coatings as well as their anticorrosion protection properties. The polarization curve shows that ZIF-8materials shift the positive potential of epoxy coatings filled with ZIF-8materials in comparison with neat epoxy coating. Itmeans that the epoxy coating filled with ZIF-8 materials exhibits an inhibitory effect on the
corrosion process of steel.