Improving the protective properties of carbon steel coating using mullite-epoxy composites with Iraqi clay minerals and nanoparticles

In order to safeguard carbon steel, we developed and examined polymeric compounds with enhanced characteristic in this work. We added Iraqi minerals and nanoparticles to the composite materials in order to accomplish this. The goal of the study was to look at the final materials mechanical and chemical properties. Mullite caly was added to the epoxy matrix in this composite at various weight (2,4,6,8, and10%). First, we chose low carbon steel alloys as s base to apply a composite coating. This work examined the reaction of compounds to ZrO2NPs that added o composite M epoxy. As well as carried out a number of tests, like XRD diffraction to examine the reaction of NPs and the clay particle dispersive in the epoxy matrix foe calculating the composite coating. With the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR), the existence of M clay particles and nanoZrO2 in epoxy matrix was also confirmed. Additionally, we used pull off adhesion testing to assess the coating adhesive strength and microhardenss testing to look into its hardness. Understand the materials resistance to wear and corrosion, we also looked at rates of polarization, corrosion and wear. The results of the investigation showed that the hardness levels of the composite coating (M\epoxy) were significantly increased by the addition of nanoZrO2. Additionally, introducing nanoparticles especially at the weight of 2, 4, and 6wt% resulted in the best adhesion strength.in comparison to composite coating with nanoparticles added improved its wear and corrosion resistance overall. This study shows how Iraq clay minerals and nanoZrO2 cam be used to improve the protective of compounds for use with carbon steel.