Electrochemical Synthesis of Phenol-aniline Copolymerization Coating on 304 Stainless Steel Anodes and Coating Microstructure Analysis

Electrochemical copolymerization of phenol and aniline was achieved on 304 stainless steel anodes in neutral water solution with an electrolyte of Na₂SO₄O₄. Compared with pit corro-sion potential of different copolymer coatings, the best solution composition was 0.09 mol/L phenol and 0.01 mol/L aniline. Through infrared spectrum analysis, polyaniline structure was proved in phenol-aniline copolymer, as well as more side chains. Scanning electron mi-croscope was used to analyze microstructure of copolymer coating, taking advantage of part solubility of phenol-aniline copolymer in tetrahydrofuran, the bifurcate network structure was observed. The copolymer coating microstructure was summarized, compared with the performance of polyphenol coatings, the reasons of corrosion resistance enhancement with the addition of aniline in electropolymerization reaction was assumed as well.