Abstract
The present work aims to develop a method for preparation of porous iron oxide nanomaterials and to investigate the applicability as smart self-healing protective coatings for steel. In this respect, iron oxide nanoparticles doped with iodine and capped with natural modified rosin surfactant were prepared and applied as self-healing materials to repair the cracks of epoxy coats. The mechanism of self-healing characteristics of porous nanomaterials was elucidated using different analyses. The results suggested the formation of stable thin films on the cracks and holes of epoxy coats. Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed an improvement in the corrosion resistance of the epoxy coating. The presence of nanoparticles was found to be an effective in restricting the penetration of aggressive ions by forming a strong barrier layer at coating metal interface.