Silver-embedded epoxy nanocomposites as organic coatings for steel

[Display omitted] •Solid phase synthesis for AgNPs.•mPEGTH a perfect reducing agent for AgNPs synthesis.•The uniform dispersion of AgNPs /mPEGTH with epoxy resins.•Spray and self-healing of the epoxy Ag nanocomposite coatings. A novel hybrid nanomaterial based on silver nanoparticles, AgNPs, supported by 2,4-dihydrazino-6-(methoxypolyethyleneglycol)-1,3,5-triazine (mPEGTH) was prepared using solid phase technique. The synthesis process and the structural properties of the AgNPs were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmittance and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM). The effect of seawater, and pH of solutions on the aggregation and zeta potential of Ag NPs were characterized and identified. The Ag/mPEGTH, hybrid materials produced well dispersion and exhibit a remarkable superiority in enhancing the anticorrosion performance of epoxy coatings and fulfill a significant synergistic effect in anticorrosion and self-healing performance for epoxy composite coatings. The new self-healing mechanism of Ag/mPEGTH nanomaterial for the epoxy coating defects is tentatively proposed and discussed.