The role of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate in anticorrosion coating formula development

A hydrophobic ionic liquid (1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, C₈mimPF₆) with a function of inhibiting corrosion was encapsulated at different concentrations in the copolymer of poly (methyl methacrylate) and poly (butyl acrylate) through miniemulsion polymerization. These latexes were coated on steel samples whose corrosion properties were evaluated by electrochemical techniques. It was found that increasing the C₈mimPF₆ concentration from 0 wt% to 30 wt%, the corrosion inhibition efficiency was remarkably improved from 41% to 89% based on the charge transfer resistance and from 64% to 87% based on the corrosion current density, respectively. The ionic liquid did not attend the reaction during latex preparation but behaved as corrosion inhibitors on the steel surface. Such an anticorrosion effect could be ascribed to the physical adsorption of the C₈mim⁺ cation on the reaction sites and the hydrophobicity enhancement resulting from the hydrophobic PF₆⁻ anion.