Effects of coating thickness and surface treatment on the corrosion protection of diglycidyl ether bisphenol-A based epoxy coated carbon steel

The corrosion resistance of carbon steel specimens was compared, using different surface treatment methods such as blasting and zinc phosphate treatment on carbon steel followed by application of different coating thickness. Specimen surface morphology was observed by SEM. The corrosion performance of epoxy coated carbon steel was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), along with immersion test in 0.5N-NaCl solution and NORSOK M 501 cyclic test, respectively. EIS results showed that higher thickness of epoxy coating and zinc phosphate treatment on carbon steel showed better corrosion protection than rest of the specimens. Specimens with no treatment and blasting treatment followed by epoxy coating, showed poor corrosion protection. Results of NORSOK M 501 cyclic test showed similar trend as those of EIS results however degradation of specimens was more severe than those from immersion test.