Chemically synthesized polyaniline/polyvinyl chloride blended coatings for the corrosion protection of AA7075 aluminum alloy

•Electrochemical analyses showed that there is enhanced protection using blends when compared to pure PANI coatings.•The porosity of the PANI/PVC 1/1 blend was lower than in the pure PANI coatings.•The blend showed a distribution of PVC and PANI domains that contributed to its better protection performance.•Blended coatings with thickness of 26.3 ± 0.95 μm have better corrosion protection of the AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy. Blended Polyaniline and Polyvinyl chloride coatings (thicknesses 5–30 μm) were used to protect AA7075-T6 aluminum in 3.5% NaCl solution. Electron microscopy revealed a well-defined structure with PCV predominating at the surface and constituting the bulk matrix; PANI formed agglomerates within the bulk and concentrated in a layer at the substrate/coating interface. Electrochemical tests demonstrated good performance over 15 days of exposure to saline solution; evidence includes high resistance to water uptake, low susceptibility to corrosion, and low corrosion current densities. Thick, smooth layers had the best performance and the blend outperforms a comparable pure PANI coating.