On the synergistic corrosion inhibition and polymer healing effects of polyolefin coatings modified with Ce-loaded hydroxyapatite particles applied on steel

•pH sensitive hydroxyapatite particles were successfully loaded with cerium as corrosion inhibitor.•Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed longer term corrosion protection for the coatings modified with the cerium loaded particles.•The synergistic corrosion inhibition effect, resulting from the presence of cerium loaded in pH sensitive particles and polymer healing process was observed by localized electrochemical techniques combined with video imaging.•A remarkable healing effect in the modified coating was demonstrated.•Alkaline medium seems to facilitate the polymer healing process in the modified coating. pH-sensitive hydroxyapatite particles were loaded with cerium ions (Ce-HAP) and incorporated into polyolefin coatings applied on carbon steel. The Ce-modified hydroxyapatite particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The protective performance of modified and reference polyolefin coatings applied on carbon steel was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the self-healing capability was evidenced by combining the scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) and pH micro-potentiometry with video-imaging, SEM and Raman. The modified coatings showed significantly improved long-term corrosion protection compared to reference coatings. The effect was attributed to the synergistic combination of the corrosion inhibition effect of cerium ions loaded in the HAP particles and polyolefin healing capability. [Display omitted]