Iranian scientists produce anti-corrosion vehicle coating

Iranian researchers from the Institute for Color Science and Technology produced a new type of coating with desirable anticorrosion properties by using zinc oxide nanoparticles to be used in automobile manufacturing industries. The nanoparticles are used in the formulation of vehicles electrocoating, and they adsorb ultraviolet light and prevent its reaching to the inner layer. As a result, they prevent the damage to the coating itself. The most important application of this product is in automobile manufacturing company to reduce the production costs. This research studied the anticorrosive properties of the coating by selecting the appropriate additive, dispersing nanoparticles in the production formulation, and finally curing the coating film. Ms Ma’soumeh Rashvand, one of the researchers, explained the mechanism of the nanoparticles, and said, “Passing of ultraviolet light through the coating usually results in the oxidation of the electrocoating, and the coating flakes. As a result, the anticorrosive properties of the coating become weak and the stability of the coating decreases in various climates. The adsorption of ultraviolet beam and its conversion to another form of energy (such as thermal energy) is the most important characteristic of ultraviolet light adsorbing materials. This process reduces the hazardous effects. Zinc oxide nanoparticles used in this research attract ultraviolet light by being placed in the coating, and they prevent the ultraviolet beam to reach the inner layer, and therefore, the coating is not harmed.” By using these nanoparticles in the production of vehicle coatings, the production costs may be reduced due to the elimination of the next layers as well as increasing the anticorrosive properties of the electrocoating layer, specially in vehicles whose appearances are not so important. Results of the research have been published in October 2013 in Progress in Organic Coatings, vol. 76, issue 10, pp. 1413-1417.